FT: EU may launch investigation into Facebook and Instagram for spreading propaganda

The European Union will investigate Facebook and Instagram because of concerns that the company Meta is not doing enough to counter disinformation from Russia and other countries. This was reported by the Financial Times and UNN .

Details

EU regulators suspect that moderation on Meta social networks is "not effective enough to stop the widespread spread of political advertising that risks undermining the electoral process.

Sources say that the EU is concerned about how the platform is responding to Russia's attempts to "undermine the upcoming European elections." However, the European Commission will not name Russia in the preliminary statement on the launch of the investigation and will only mention the manipulation of information by foreign states.

After the investigation, the European Commission will give Meta five working days to indicate what measures will be taken to correct the deficiencies. Otherwise, according to FT sources, the company will face sanctions under the Digital Services Act.

Addendum

The EU also believes that the Meta mechanism, which allows users to label illegal content, is not simple and convenient enough to comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA).

This law obliges platforms to disclose what measures they take to combat disinformation and propaganda. If the EU finds that Meta has violated the law, the company will be fined up to 6% of its annual turnover.

Recall

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling for sanctions against Russian media and individuals responsible for spreading disinformation and propaganda in the EU as part of efforts to counter Russian interference in the upcoming EU elections.