Meta’s EU Privacy Fine Fight Muddles Outlook for Targeted Ads

Meta Platforms Inc.'s planned challenge to an enforcement action from European privacy regulators amplifies ongoing legal uncertainty over what the bloc’s data protection regime means for personalized advertising online and the tech company’s business model.

Meta has said it plans to appeal a decision that resulted in €390 million ($414 million) in fines from the Irish Data Protection Commission, levied Jan. 4 for violating European Union privacy rules by relying on terms of service to require users of its Facebook and Instagram platforms to accept personalized ads.

The Irish authority ordered Meta to bring its processing of personal data for ...