BRUSSELS, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms ( META ) on

Tuesday rejected a ruling by the French rights watchdog against

its algorithm after allegations of discriminatory job

advertisements on its social network Facebook.

The independent watchdog Defenseur des Droits (Defender of

Rights) in an October 10 ruling said Meta's system treats

Facebook users differently because of their gender, making it a

form of indirect discrimination based on sex.

It recommended Meta Ireland and Facebook France take

measures to ensure that job ads are non-discriminatory, giving

the U.S. tech giant three months to inform the French body of

the measures.

The case underscores French authorities' tough line against

Big Tech whether on antitrust or privacy grounds.

"We disagree with this decision and are assessing our

options," a Meta spokesperson said.

Campaign group Global Witness together with French women's

rights organisations Foundation for Women (Fondation des Femmes)

and Women Engineers (Femmes Ingénieures), which had complained

to the rights body, welcomed the ruling.

"This appears to be the first time a European regulator has

decided that a social media platform's algorithm discriminates

by gender, presenting a major step forward in holding these

platforms accountable to existing law," they said in a joint

statement.