The EU is opening up an investigation against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over concerns regarding insufficient efforts to combat Russian disinformation ahead of the EU elections in June.
The investigation is particularly focused on how Meta handles advertising by scammers and foreign actors attempting to influence European elections.
Meta is Not Doing Enough
A report from The Financial Times reported that EU officials are concerned that Meta may not be capable enough to counter the spread of fake news during elections.
The investigation is also examining potential breaches of Europe’s Digital Services Act (DSA), with violations potentially resulting in fines of up to 6% of Meta’s global revenue.
Meta Responds
In response to the reports, a spokesperson for Meta stated that the company has a “well-established process for identifying and mitigating risks on our platforms.”
The tech giant expressed willingness to cooperate further with the European Commission.
The European parliamentary elections are scheduled for June 6-9 amidst a rising tide of disinformation across the EU.
