Meta rejects French rights watchdog's ruling against algorithm

Meta Platforms on Tuesday rejected a ruling by the French rights watchdog against its algorithm after allegations of discriminatory job advertisements on its social network Facebook.

Meta Platforms 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 Ingenieures), 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.