Brussels-based European consumer protection body Euroconsumers said it has entered into a three-year partnership with Facebook to improve consumers’ digital lives and create added value for them. The collaboration brings to an end a class action that accused Facebook of illegally harvesting the data of millions of European users in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica breach.
Over 300,000 Facebook users had backed the action launched three years ago by consumer groups Test-Achats (Belgium), AltroConsumo (Italy), OCU (Spain) and Deco Proteste (Portugal) but Euroconsumers said the groups had now decided to collaborate with the social media giant to implement several initiatives for the benefit of consumers.
The initiatives are designed to create “concrete added value” and “focus on such issues as sustainability, online scams and digital empowerment,” said the partners. Facebook and Euroconsumers will also set up a Consumer Policy Committee to support the enhancement of consumer protection by discussing research and analysis on topics of common interest, information on current and emerging issues and trends, and guidelines and policy principles for addressing problematic areas.
Euroconsumers added that the decision to end the class actions filed by in Italy, Belgium, Spain and Portugal was reached without any court decision as to the merits of the lawsuits and with no admission of wrongdoing by Facebook. “The parties have agreed to end their litigious relationship and move forward, engaging in a collaborative relationship,” confirmed the consumer body.
