The European Commission (EC) will launch an investigation into Facebook and Instagram over concerns that these resources are not doing enough to counter the spread of disinformation, the British newspaper Financial Times (FT) reported, citing two sources.
The European Commissioners are particularly concerned about how the mentioned platforms approach the attempts attributed to the Russian Federation to interfere in the European Parliament elections. They will take place in all EU countries from June 6 to 9, 2024. According to the publication, in a statement that the EC may issue on Monday, only Russia will not be mentioned.
European officials are also concerned that Meta, which allows users to flag illegal content, is not as easy to use as it would be to comply with the EU's Digital Services Act, which comes into effect in 2023 , DSA). It is designed to tighten control over resources. Sources told the FT that the EC is expected to give the US company five working days to respond or threaten sanctions.
Meta told the publication that it has a “well-established process for identifying and mitigating risks”. on their platforms. The European Commission does not comment on this topic.