The European Commission Investigates Meta for Content Moderation Practices

The European Commission has initiated a formal investigation into Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to evaluate its efforts in moderating political content, illegal content, and disinformation on its platforms. This move comes in response to a surge in online pro-Russian propaganda leading up to the EU elections in early June.

Election Monitoring Concerns

One of the key areas of concern highlighted by the European Commission is Meta’s approach to tackling disinformation campaigns and “coordinated inauthentic behavior” within the EU. There are also apprehensions regarding the lack of effective third-party tools for monitoring elections and civic discourse in real time. Of particular worry is the decision to deprecate CrowdTangle without providing a suitable alternative.

The probe follows calls from EU political leaders to counter Russia’s attempts to interfere with democratic processes across the EU. According to France’s European affairs minister, almost every EU country is currently being targeted by Russian propaganda in the lead-up to the elections on June 6th.

Protecting European Citizens

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, emphasized the importance of safeguarding European citizens from targeted disinformation and manipulation by foreign entities. She stressed the need for big digital platforms like Meta to fulfill their obligations in creating safer online environments, especially during democratic elections.

The investigation will also look into how Meta moderates deceptive advertising, policies that impact the visibility of political content on Facebook and Instagram, and the effectiveness of mechanisms for users to report illegal content. EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager highlighted the risks associated with deceptive advertising on online platforms, stating that it poses a threat to both consumer rights and democratic discourse.

Compliance and Potential Penalties

The European Commission has not set a deadline for the investigation, and if Meta is found to have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA) without taking corrective actions, it could face fines amounting to up to 6 percent of its annual turnover. This underscores the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that tech companies adhere to regulations aimed at protecting users and preserving the integrity of democratic processes.

The investigation into Meta’s content moderation practices by the European Commission signifies a growing awareness of the challenges posed by online disinformation and propaganda. As digital platforms play an increasingly significant role in shaping public discourse, it is essential for regulatory bodies to hold these platforms accountable for maintaining safe and transparent online environments. The outcome of this probe will likely influence future regulatory measures aimed at fostering responsible behavior among tech companies in the digital space.