Meta will allow users in the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland to “separate” their accounts from Instagram, Facebook and Messenger. By disconnecting the registrations, this information is no longer shared between the platforms. The move is part of changes to comply with the bloc’s new rules for tech giants.
Currently, Meta uses cross-account relationships to target ads, personalize content recommendations, and use posts from one network on the other. So, when the user “separates” their accounts, the company will no longer be able to use what they access on Facebook as a basis for recommending posts and advertisements on Instagram, for example.
The split will also allow Facebook Messenger to operate as a standalone service that can be used without a Facebook account. Users will also be able to use the Marketplace and Facebook Gaming without registering on the social network, but in this case, there are limitations. On Marketplace, without a Facebook account, communication with buyers and sellers will be done via email. On Facebook Gaming, you’ll only be able to play single-player games.
Google and Apple will also make changes in the EU
Google announced a similar initiative on the 12th. Users in the European Union will be able to turn off data sharing between the company’s various services, such as YouTube, search, advertising services, Google Play, Chrome, Google Shopping and Google Maps. It will be possible to stop connections between all services or only those that the user chooses.
As with Meta, by separating accounts, Maps stops recommending places based on Google searches, and YouTube doesn’t take Chrome history into account, among other changes.
Both Meta’s and Google’s changes are obligations instituted by the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The regulation aims to prevent tech giants from benefiting their own products and services, harming competition and consumers.
DMA goes beyond preventing data sharing between services from the same company. Apple, for example, will have to allow direct installation of apps on the iPhone or iPad, a process known as sideloading. In addition, devices will have to accept alternative app stores, and even those downloaded using the App Store will be able to make payments through other platforms.