Facebook Temporarily Disables Some Messenger and Instagram Features in Europe to Comply With EU Data Rules

[MacRumors]

Some Messenger and Instagram features are temporarily unavailable to users in Europe in order to comply with new rules on data usage currently being rolled out in EU countries.

Affected users are seeing alerts in the Facebook-owned apps that some features aren’t available to "respect new rules for messaging services in Europe."

The alert doesn't specify what the missing features are, but The Verge notes that polls on both Messenger and Instagram are currently disabled in Europe, while stickers in Instagram are unavailable, as are personalized replies in Messenger. Each support page for the above features currently carries the notice:

This feature may be unavailable if you're located in Europe or messaging an account based in Europe to respect new messaging service rules. We're working to bring it back.

The temporary changes are said to be Facebook's compliance with the national implementations of the 2002 Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive (ePrivacy Directive), which imposes stricter rules on data use across communications services that operate in countries that are part of the EU.

Other missing features may include a disabling of file sending on Messenger, missing nicknames, and the ability to share AR effects in DMs on Instagram.

Users in the United Kingdom are also missing the features, because EU law continues to apply to the U.K. during the Brexit transition period (currently due to last until 31 December 2020).

Facebook has not given a specific timeframe for reinstating the missing features, but told The Verge they would return "very soon."

Article Link: Facebook Temporarily Disables Some Messenger and Instagram Features in Europe to Comply With EU Data Rules

 

[Akrapovic]

Translated: We violate your privacy more elsewhere.

 

[PJWilkin]

Facebook blaming others again it seems

 

[dschulian]

I’m so happy that I’ve got rid of Facebook and Instagram a long time ago.
The last ****** app I’ve installed is WhatsApp because no one I know except my gf is actually using iMessage.
It’s a shame Facetime and iMessage never opened their gates to Android/Windows to conquer the spying ad industry.

 

[NotTooLate]

Waiting for the front page ads "Europe are trying to hurt small business!!!"

 

[skogkatt]

OH NOOO

 

[EmotionalSnow]

Facebook probably: "If you don't want your privacy violated just move to Europe, suckers!"

 

[Kleber20]

I’m so happy that I’ve got rid of Facebook and Instagram a long time ago.
The last ****** app I’ve installed is WhatsApp because no one I know except my gf is actually using iMessage.
It’s a shame Facetime and iMessage never opened their gates to Android/Windows to conquer the spying ad industry.

Time to change gf

 

[SWAON]

Great, I'm trying to find a good reason not to use the messenger as well. FB is using the directive just to make fuss and disable those features, instead of making them secure (meaning without collecting data).

 

[contacos]

sounds more like they did that on purpose and not because they were asked to, to make users in Europe aware of this law in hope that it would cause an outcry and a discussion to revert this rule or some twisted FB bs

 

[calstanford]

If Facebook isn't the definition of a piece of **** company, I don't know what is

 

[Unsupported]

If Facebook isn't the definition of a piece of **** company, I don't know what is

Google is a close contender.

 

[mazz0]

I heard they were doing it to protect small businesses.

 

[MauiPa]

You can't make this up, the same day they are running ads blaming Apple for trying to notify customers when companies want to take your data? Karma?

 

[itsmeaustend]

More political overreach by the EU. I hate Facebook as much as the next guy, but come on. These new EU rules are complete bull.

 

[Unsupported]

You can't make this up, the same day they are running ads blaming Apple for trying to notify customers when companies want to take your data? Karma?

It's much less esoteric than that.

It's Facebook telling the world that it's about "Facebook's compliance with the national implementations of the 2002 Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive".

Read that again; "the 2002 Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive"

2002 💭

 

[EmotionalSnow]

More political overreach by the EU. I hate Facebook as much as the next guy, but come on. These new EU rules are complete bull.

If you are talking about the DSA and DMA, those two are not even passed yet. By the way, for anyone interested - here's what the EFF thinks about them:

European Commission’s Proposed Digital Services Act Got Several Things Right, But Improvements Are Necessary to Put Users in Control

The EU’s Digital Markets Act: There Is A Lot To Like, but Room for Improvement

 

[5232152]

More political overreach by the EU. I hate Facebook as much as the next guy, but come on. These new EU rules are complete bull.

Americans are in general always benefitting from Europes ability to leash big tech because American politicians have too much financially at stake to do it. Sad but true.

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

They must been audited and threatened with a hefty fine to literally pull the plug... Usually you get a period to rectify non-compliance. And that usually gets extended once or twice if you can't meet it. The background would really be of interest here.

Facebook probably: "If you don't want your privacy violated less just move to Europe, suckers!"

I fixed it for you.

Google is a close contender.

Google is probably worse... they are just more professional at spying on people and are much better at actually protecting the data. FB sells out the data (obviously, see Cambridge Analytica) and also isn't so smart when it comes to safeguarding the data (FB API...).

 

[oneMadRssn]

If Facebook isn't the definition of a piece of **** company, I don't know what is

Walmart
Koch Industries
Nestle

That's just a sampling. There are hundreds of piece of **** companies.

 

[oneMadRssn]

Americans are in general always benefitting from Europes ability to leash big tech because American politicians have too much financially at stake to do it. Sad but true.

Don't forget about Apple. The things protecting Americans' data right now is EU laws and the third largest megacorporation on the planet choosing to do the right thing.

 

[ArPe]

They remove those features but they don’t remove all the Covid deniers, conspiracy theorists, fake doctors and anti-vaxxers who definitely have blood on their hands this year.

 

[amartinez1660]

Facebook blaming others again it seems

I’m on the anti-Facebook camp, just in case, but what I find crazy is that all these features: stickers, file sending, etc seem quite basic and expected by now? Also the laws are from 2002 (if there are no typos), there were not even iPhones until 5+ years later.

or somehow Facebook is so heads over heel over privacy collection that even sending a damn sticker exposes you?

 

[jlc1978]

Facebook blaming others again it seems

How so? They have to comply with the laws and it's not unreasonable to explain why theey've had to disable features that may violate them.

 

[contacos]

How so? They have to comply with the laws and it's not unreasonable to explain why theey've had to disable features that may violate them.

That updated law (the current one is from 2002!) has not even passed yet and there are even ongoing and internal discussions to loosen it up. This is pretty much Facebook trying to cause an outcry by limiting features to users to get them to complain before it comes to that