A Spanish court has ordered Facebook owner Meta to pay 479 million euros ($A852 million) to Spanish digital media outlets for unfair competition practices and infringing European Union data protection regulation.

Madrid's Commercial Court said on Thursday that the compensation, to be paid out to 87 digital press publishers and news agencies, was linked to Meta's use of personal data for behavioural advertising on Facebook and Instagram.

It said the US tech giant had obtained a "significant competitive advantage" in Spain's online advertising market by unlawfully processing user data.

Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The court said Meta had violated the EU's General Data Protection Regulation, therefore also breaching Spain's antitrust law.

The complaint broug

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