European Union regulators have launched an investigation into Meta, the American tech giant behind Facebook and Instagram, for its role in spreading disinformation, failing to oversee deceptive advertisements, and potentially compromising the integrity of elections.
Officials from the European Union expressed concerns that Meta lacks sufficient safeguards to combat misleading advertisements, deepfakes, and other deceptive information that can exacerbate political divisions and influence election outcomes. With elections across all 27 E.U. countries approaching this summer, the pressure is on Meta to address these issues before voters head to the polls.
The investigation comes as European regulators take a more aggressive stance on regulating online content compared to their counterparts in the United States. The Digital Services Act, a law implemented last year, grants authorities broad authority to rein in large online platforms like Meta over the content shared on their services.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, emphasized the importance of big digital platforms meeting their obligations to combat disinformation. Meta, in response, defended its policies and stated that it is actively working to identify and block false information from spreading.
The inquiry into Meta is just one of several investigations launched by E.U. regulators under the Digital Services Act. Companies found in violation of the law could face fines of up to 6 percent of their global revenue.
As social media platforms face increasing scrutiny over their role in elections, the pressure is on for companies like Meta to enhance their content moderation practices and combat the spread of false information. With billions of people around the world set to vote in upcoming elections, the need for robust safeguards against disinformation has never been more critical.
