Facebook can't use your sexual orientation to target ads, EU court says

The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that public statements about sexual orientation do not permit Meta to target individuals with ads based on that orientation. This decision emphasizes the legal boundaries protecting user privacy, asserting that Meta cannot use data related to a user’s sexual orientation gathered from external activities to deliver personalized ads, even if the user has publicly identified as queer.

Meta has maintained that it does not engage in targeting users based on their sexual orientation, referring to this information as sensitive. The company highlights that it offers user settings to manage data usage, yet the ruling from the EU court stresses that knowledge of a user's orientation cannot lead to personalized advertising, regardless of the user's public discussions.

The ruling marks a significant setback for Meta, reinforcing the EU's robust privacy framework. As expressed by Schrems' lawyer, this decision is likely to enhance restrictions on Meta's data collection and processing strategies, leading to a more cautious approach regarding the handling of sensitive user information.

Read at Mashable ME