New multi-million pound fine for Meta Platforms, Inc.: Legal impact and detailed analysis of the ruling on unfair competition and unlawful use of data
The Commercial Court No. 15 of Madrid has issued a ruling of particular relevance in the field of digital and competition law, ordering Meta Platforms, Inc. to pay €479 million to 87 Spanish publishers and news agencies. The ruling, dated 19 November 2025, finds that the platform obtained a disproportionate competitive advantage through the unlawful processing of users' personal data, mainly for behavioural advertising purposes.
The ruling emphasises that Meta used the personal information of millions of users without a valid legal basis, particularly with regard to informed consent, the purpose of the processing and transparency in the use of data for advertising purposes. According to the court, this situation created a structural imbalance in the digital advertising market, directly affecting media outlets competing for the same advertising revenue.
The ruling also highlights the importance of the interconnection between data protection and competition regulations, understanding that a breach of one can constitute the source of an illegitimate competitive advantage in the market. This reasoning opens the door to new claims by companies and entities that consider themselves to have been harmed by practices based on the misuse of personal data by large platforms.
Legal experts predict that this ruling could usher in a more active phase of litigation in the field of data processing and competition, especially in relation to digital platforms with models based on targeted advertising. It is also expected that supervisory authorities and courts will increase their scrutiny of the use of personal data as a strategic business resource.
For companies operating in digital environments, this ruling serves as a reminder of the need to offer clear privacy policies, robust consent mechanisms and data processing management that strictly complies with legal requirements. Otherwise, they not only expose themselves to privacy sanctions, but also to claims of unfair competition arising from the misuse of data as a tool for commercial advantage.
BASIC APPLICABLE LEGISLATION
- Regulation (EU) 2016/679, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Organic Law 3/2018 on Personal Data Protection and Guarantee of Digital Rights (LOPDGDD)
- Law 3/1991 on Unfair Competition (LCD)
- Law 34/2002 on Information Society Services and Electronic Commerce (LSSI)
| Ley 34 2002 Servicios de la Soicedad Información y Comercio Electrónico | 340 KB |
