French Media Companies Sue Meta Over Alleged Unlawful Business Practices

A coalition of 67 French media companies, representing 200 publications, has filed a lawsuit against Meta (formerly Facebook) in the Paris business tribunal court, accusing the tech giant of unlawful business practices in the digital advertising sector. The media companies, which include prominent broadcasters TF1, France TV, BFM TV, as well as publishers like Le Figaro, Lagardère, L'Express, La Dépêche, Libération, and Radio France, allege that Meta has abused its market dominance to the detriment of the media industry.

 

The lawsuit, filed on April 23, 2025, adds to a growing wave of legal actions against Meta across Europe, driven by concerns over its advertising practices and its impact on media revenue. The plaintiffs claim that Meta’s vast dominance in the digital advertising space has been built on the illegal collection of personal data, which is then used for ultra-targeted advertising. This targeted advertising system, according to the plaintiffs, allows Meta to capture the lion’s share of the advertising revenue, leaving little for other media companies.

 

Allegations of Unlawful Data Collection

 

At the heart of the lawsuit is the allegation that Meta has “massively collected users' personal data without their informed consent.” The media companies argue that Meta’s data collection practices violate European data protection laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). By exploiting this data, Meta has been able to offer advertisers highly targeted ad placements, which, the media companies claim, has led to Meta dominating the digital advertising market to the exclusion of other players.

 

The plaintiffs further argue that Meta and Google together control 75 percent of the digital advertising market and 90 percent of its growth. Advertising revenue is central to Meta’s business model, accounting for 98 percent of its global turnover. The lawsuit suggests that without these alleged unfair practices, French media outlets would have seen a much larger share of digital advertising investments.

 

Legal Pressure and Broader Implications

 

This legal action comes at a time when Meta is facing increasing scrutiny across Europe. In addition to the lawsuit in France, the company is set to go to trial in Spain later this year over a €551 million lawsuit filed by more than 80 media companies accusing Meta of unfair advertising competition. Moreover, earlier in 2025, the European Union hit Meta with a €200 million fine for violating data privacy rules on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram. This fine was related to Meta’s “pay for privacy” system, where users must either pay to keep their data private or agree to share their data to continue using the platforms for free.

 

Meta’s Market Dominance and Its Impact on Media

 

The lawsuit claims that Meta’s dominance in digital advertising, fuelled by its extensive personal data collection and targeted advertising capabilities, has harmed traditional media outlets, which are unable to compete effectively for ad dollars. With Meta allegedly drawing the majority of advertising investments, the plaintiffs argue that French media companies have been deprived of a fair share of the digital advertising pie.

 

Meta’s Response

 

As of now, Meta has not responded publicly to the latest lawsuit filed in France. However, the company has long been embroiled in legal battles across Europe over its advertising practices and its handling of user data. This latest lawsuit in France only adds to the mounting legal and regulatory pressures Meta faces globally.

 

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