The European Commission has launched a new investigation against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The investigation is focused on alleged violations of policies related to misleading advertising and political content in the services provided by Meta. According to EU Executive, these investigations fall under the digital services regulation, which imposes additional control obligations on large Internet operators and platforms regarding the content they host.
The Commission has been urging large digital platforms to increase their efforts in combatting disinformation and Russian propaganda ahead of the European elections for several months. The investigation launched by Brussels is multifaceted, with suspicions that Meta is not complying with obligations related to combating misleading advertisements, disinformation campaigns, and coordinated inauthentic behavior in the EU. This proliferation of content poses risks to civic discourse, electoral processes, fundamental rights, and consumer protection. Additionally, Meta’s actions regarding political content approaches on Facebook and Instagram are being scrutinized for potential violations of European standards.
One specific concern highlighted by the Commission is Meta’s decision to eliminate a tool that allows third parties to monitor elections in real time without providing a substitute tool. With the European elections approaching, the lack of access to such tools during election times is seen as detrimental to civic discourse, electoral processes, and transparency. If proven infringement occurs, Meta could face fines up to 6% of its global turnover. Provisional control measures may also be imposed on the company under investigation before reaching this point to prevent serious harm to users.
The Commission emphasized that technology companies must take their responsibilities seriously under the digital services regulation that imposes stricter demands on larger digital companies compared to smaller actors. The EU Executive has stated that these investigations are an important step towards protecting citizens from harmful online behavior and promoting fairness in online advertising practices.
In conclusion, the investigation launched by Brussels against Meta raises concerns about compliance with regulations related to misleading advertising and political content in Europe’s digital platforms. The proliferation of false information can have significant consequences for democracy and consumer protection alike. It remains unclear how long this investigation will continue or what other measures may be taken against Meta if it continues down this path of non-compliance with EU regulations.
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