BRUSSELS, April 17 (Reuters) - The EU privacy watchdog

is set to issue an opinion saying Meta Platforms ( META ) can't

charge users a fee to ensure their privacy, a person with direct

knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.

Meta's no-ads subscription service launched in Europe in

November, which requires users to pay a fee to ensure their

privacy, has triggered criticism from privacy activists and

consumer groups.

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB), which will

publish its opinion shortly, declined to comment.

Politico was the first to report on the EDPB's opinion.