Meta to let EU users unlink their Instagram, Facebook, Messenger accounts

London : To comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the European Union (EU), Meta on Monday announced that the users will be able to unlink their Instagram and Facebook accounts as well as other services.

The Mark Zuckerberg-run company said that it is offering more choices to people using Instagram and Facebook in the EU, European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland about how they can use its services and features, as the DMA enters into force in March.

The changes mean that users in the EU will be able to use Meta’s services without their information being shared between them. People who have already chosen to connect their Instagram and Facebook accounts will be able to continue to connect their accounts so that their information will be used across their Instagram and Facebook accounts.

“They can also manage their Instagram and Facebook accounts separately so that their information is no longer used across accounts,” said Tim Lamb, Director, Competition and Regulatory, Meta.

People using Facebook Messenger can choose whether they wish to continue using Facebook Messenger with their Facebook account, or if they would prefer to create a stand-alone new Messenger account.

People who choose to create a new Messenger account without their Facebook information will be able to use Messenger’s core service offering such as private messaging and chat, voice and video calling, Lamb informed. Those using Facebook Marketplace can choose between a Marketplace experience that uses their Facebook information or not.

“For people who choose to use their Facebook information for their Marketplace experience, the current Marketplace experience will remain. People who choose not to use their Facebook information for their Marketplace experience will still be able to browse listings and to buy and sell items,” the company informed.

Over the next few weeks, people will receive notifications that will inform them about their ability to choose whether they would like to share information between Meta services. People who play games on Facebook can choose between a gaming experience that uses their Facebook information or an experience without their Facebook information.

“People in the EU, EEA and Switzerland also have the ability to use Instagram and Facebook for free with ads, or subscribe to stop seeing ads,” said the company. If people subscribe to stop seeing ads, their information will not be used for ads. This choice rolled out in November last year.

The DMA Act seeks to promote contestability and fairness in digital markets. “We are committed to continue working hard to ensure that Meta’s products in the EU comply with the DMA and deliver value to people,” said the company.