Meta (Facebook, Instagram) threatens to pull out of Europe

Meta (Facebook, Instagram) threatens to pull out of Europe

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is threatening to blackout its social media platforms in Europe if the European Union continues to push EU-US data transfer measures.

According to the social media giant, the processing of user data between countries is essential for service delivery and targeted ads. Meta urges regulators to assess data transfers in an ‘appropriate manner’.

The EU wants to increase the regulation of data transfers between the EU, US and beyond. Meta hopes to steer negotiations with the EU towards loosened control.

In Meta’s annual report for the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the organization included a section on how it plans to deal with stronger data regulation from the European Union if no compromise is reached. Meta outlines a scenario in which it discontinues Facebook and Instagram services in Europe. The passage does not disclose further details.

Whether Meta published the message as a threat is unknown. The tech giant refused to comment on the section.