Meta lets users in EU unlink Instagram and Facebook accounts

Meta will make it possible for European users to disconnect their accounts for Instagram, Facebook and other services. The tech giant wants to comply with the new rules of the Digital Markets Act, which will come into effect in March 2024.

The parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, among others writes in a blog post that users who have linked their Instagram and Facebook accounts will be given the option to unlink those accounts. It will also be possible to disconnect other services from Meta, such as the Facebook services Messenger, Marketplace and Gaming.

By enabling account disconnection, users in the EU can use Meta’s services without their personal information being exchanged between the different services. This means, for example, that the Messenger app can now be used without a Facebook account.

Users of Facebook Marketplace and Facebook Gaming can also choose not to share key information from their Facebook account with these services, although Meta states that this will lead to reduced functionality. For example, communication with potential buyers or sellers via Marketplace will have to take place by email instead of via Messenger. With Facebook Gaming, after disconnecting the user’s Facebook information, it is only possible to play single-player games.

Earlier this month, Google parent company Alphabet also announced that EU users can now decide for themselves whether the tech giant’s services can exchange personal data. Google also states that some functions of unconnected services may work less well.

The Digital Markets Act is an antitrust law that aims to ensure a level playing field for companies that depend on gatekeepers, consisting of large tech companies such as Meta and Google. In other words: this European law must promote fair competition by imposing restrictions on major players.