BRUSSELS, April 17 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms ( META )

is set to be told by the EU's privacy watchdog that it cannot

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

knowledge of the matter said.

Meta's no-ads subscription service, which applies to

Facebook and Instagram and launched in Europe in November,

requires users to pay a fee to ensure their privacy. It has

prompted criticism from privacy activists and consumer groups.

The U.S. tech giant referred on Wednesday to its previous

blogs which said that 'subscription for no ads' conforms to a

European Union court ruling backing such models as a way for

people to consent to data processing for targeted advertising.

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB), which will

publish its opinion shortly, declined to comment.

"We welcome that the EDPB has started a more nuanced

discussion on 'pay or okay' and at least clarified that large

platforms cannot use 'pay or okay'," Advocacy group NOYB's

chairman Max Schrems said in a statement.

Politico first reported the EDPB's opinion.