AMSTERDAM, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Online rights activists

have filed complaints with data protection authorities in

several European countries about U.S. software firm Meta's

targeted advertising practices, the Eko group said on

Thursday.

The group said it had filed complaints with watchdogs in

Norway, Germany and Spain after collecting evidence that

Facebook's parent company had not listened to explicit user

requests to opt out of data collection and targeted

advertisements.

A Meta spokesperson said the company was unaware of the

details of the Eko complaints and could not respond, but that it

is committed to protecting users' data privacy.

In light of Europe's data protection rules, the U.S. tech

giant introduced ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram in

Europe that require a paid subscription, and people who agree to

be tracked - most users - get a free service funded by ad

revenues. Europe's Data Protection Board (EDPB) questioned that

policy in 2024 but has not taken action.

"EU data protection regulators must pull Meta into line,"

spokesperson Eoin Dubsky said. He said 5,000 members of the

group, which seeks to defend consumer rights against

corporations, had asked Meta to stop processing their personal

data. With the users' permission, Eko then observed as the

company continued to serve them targeted ads.

Dubsky said Eko's goal is to trigger an investigation or

action from the watchdogs.

A spokesperson for Norway's data protection authority

confirmed it had received complaints from Eko members and that

it has relayed them to the Irish Data Protection Commission, the

lead supervisory authority for Meta in Europe.

"However, speaking on a general level, the right to object

is a key right for individuals, as invasive tracking and

monitoring for advertising purposes may violate their

fundamental rights," Tobias Judin said, adding that Norway would

remain involved in the case.