EU Probes Meta on Russian Disinfo, Risks Heavy Fines

Key Takeaway

• EU investigates Meta for not effectively fighting Russian disinformation, risking European election integrity.
• Probe focuses on Meta's content moderation and potential violation of the Digital Services Act, with fines up to 6% of annual turnover possible.
• Investigation part of broader EU action against Big Tech and disinformation, emphasizing electoral safeguards.

EU Launches Probe into Meta

Brussels is poised to initiate an investigation into Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over concerns that the social media giant is not adequately combating disinformation, particularly from Russia, ahead of the European elections. The European Commission is expected to express apprehensions about Meta's content moderation practices, fearing they may not sufficiently prevent the spread of political advertising that could jeopardize the electoral process. Although the commission's statement is anticipated to address the manipulation of information by foreign actors in general, without explicitly naming Russia, the focus is on safeguarding the integrity of the upcoming European elections.

Concerns Over Content Moderation

The European Commission's probe is partly motivated by worries that Meta's platforms might be facilitating Russia's attempts to influence the European electoral landscape. Additionally, there are concerns regarding Meta's user reporting mechanisms for illegal content, which are deemed not easily accessible or user-friendly, potentially violating the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). This landmark legislation mandates online platforms to disclose their efforts in combating misinformation and propaganda. Should Meta be found in breach of the DSA, it could face fines up to 6% of its global annual turnover.

Investigative Focus and Meta's Response

The investigation will scrutinize how Facebook and Instagram manage political content, with a particular emphasis on Meta's plans to discontinue CrowdTangle—a tool that aids publishers, fact-checkers, and journalists in tracking content dissemination—and how the company monitors disinformation. The European Commission is expected to allow Meta five working days to outline its strategy to address these issues, under the threat of potential measures under the DSA. Meta has stated, “We have a well-established process for identifying and mitigating risks on our platforms,” and expressed its intention to continue cooperating with the European Commission.

Broader Regulatory Context

This probe into Meta is part of a larger regulatory scrutiny of Big Tech companies by the European Commission, amid growing concerns over Russia's disinformation campaigns on social media platforms aimed at undermining democracy. The investigation follows a separate inquiry into X (formerly Twitter) regarding the spread of illegal content and disinformation. Additionally, the EU has recently implemented election safeguards to counter online threats to electoral integrity, requiring platforms like X and Meta to assess the risks of online disinformation across the bloc.

Management Quotes

• Meta:

  "We have a well-established process for identifying and mitigating risks on our platforms. We look forward to continuing our co-operation with the European Commission and providing them with further details of this work."