EDPB: ‘Consent or Pay’ models should offer real choice

Brussels, 17 April - During its latest plenary, the EDPB adopted an Opinion following an Art. 64(2) GDPR request by the Dutch, Norwegian & Hamburg Data Protection Authorities (DPA). The Opinion addresses the validity of consent to process personal data for the purposes of behavioural advertising in the context of ‘consent or pay’ models deployed by large online platforms. 

EDPB Chair Anu Talus said: “Online platforms should give users a real choice when employing ‘consent or pay’ models. The models we have today usually require individuals to either give away all their data or to pay. As a result most users consent to the processing in order to use a service, and they do not understand the full implications of their choices.”

As regards ‘consent or pay’ models implemented by large online platforms, the EDPB considers that, in most cases, it will not be possible for them to comply with the requirements for valid consent, if they confront users only with a choice between consenting to processing of personal data for behavioural advertising purposes and paying a fee.

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