EU launches investigation into Facebook and Instagram owner Meta

The European Union has launched an investigation into Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, on the grounds that it has failed to comply with Union rules in areas such as combating misleading advertising and disinformation on its platforms.

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EU launches investigation into Facebook and Instagram owner Meta

The EU Commission has announced the launch of a formal investigation to determine whether Meta has violated the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).

The statement noted, "The suspected breaches concern Meta's policies and practices related to misleading advertising and political content on its services."

The statement emphasized that Meta has not established an effective election monitoring system ahead of the upcoming European Parliament (EP) elections. It was also noted that the company's mechanisms for flagging and reporting illegal content on its services do not comply with EU rules, and that Meta has been insufficient in providing researchers with access to publicly available data.

The statement, which indicated that the Commission will continue to collect additional information and evidence, noted that after this stage, Meta must provide information regarding the measures it has taken in these areas.

FINES IMPOSED

Under the EU's enacted law, large digital platforms are subject to strict rules. The EU can impose fines of up to 6 percent of their global turnover on digital platforms that violate the rules.

The EP elections will be held on June 6-9, 2024.

The EU expects digital platforms to take steps in the areas of combating fake news and disinformation ahead of the elections.

News Source: AA