The European Union has set its sights on tech giant Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over suspected violations of the bloc’s digital rulebook. The EU’s Executive Commission announced on Tuesday that it is launching formal proceedings to investigate whether Meta breached the Digital Services Act, a set of regulations aimed at protecting internet users and cleaning up social media platforms.
One of the key concerns raised by the EU is Meta’s alleged failure to adequately protect users from foreign disinformation ahead of EU-wide elections. The Commission is also looking into whether Meta is doing enough to combat deceptive advertisements, disinformation campaigns, and coordinated inauthentic behavior that could pose a risk to electoral processes and consumer protection.
Additionally, the EU suspects that Facebook and Instagram may be engaging in shadowbanning, a practice where political content from certain accounts is reduced in visibility in recommendation feeds without transparency to users. The Commission is also questioning Meta’s decision to phase out the use of Crowdtangle, a tool used for real-time election monitoring.
As citizens of the EU’s 27 nations prepare to vote for lawmakers in June, the Commission is taking measures to safeguard the integrity of the elections. Meta has been given five days to respond with information on any remedial measures it is taking to address the concerns raised by the EU.
The investigation into Meta’s practices comes as part of the EU’s broader crackdown on tech companies to ensure compliance with the Digital Services Act. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.