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Facebook could face EU sanctions if it doesn’t change its terms of service

Facebook could face EU sanctions if it doesn’t change its terms of service

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The social network has yet to comply with new EU rules instituted back in March

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Facebook could face sanctions for not complying with the European Union’s consumer rules, according to a report from Reuters today. Back in February, the company was told to change its users terms and conditions to recently updated EU standards, but it has yet to do so, the report says.

In February, Facebook changed its terms of service, but to EU officials, it wasn’t enough. “While Google’s latest proposals appear to be in line with the requests made by consumer authorities, Facebook and, more significantly, Twitter, have only partially addressed important issues about their liability and about how users are informed of possible content removal or contract termination,” the European Commission stated in a press release at the time.

The ability to sue in an EU member state and not in California

As detailed back in February, authorities want Facebook to better protect consumers’ rights, including the ability to withdraw from an online purchase, sue in Europe and not in California where Facebook is based. The EU also wants more consumer-friendly rules around the social media platform’s legal liability when its service performs poorly.

According to Reuters, Facebook’s non-compliance contrasts with Airbnb’s obedience, as the rental platform adjusted its terms of service recently after being asked to do so back in July. Airbnb is now more transparent about pricing details and has better terms for consumers using its platform in the EU.