Will Instagram and Facebook end soon in Europe? Meta’s parent company has at least once again threatened to disconnect the two platforms. This is CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s response to threats by the Irish Data Protection Commission to ban data transfers between the EU and the US.
The fire of the dispute between the EU and Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta technology group has been rekindled. Just like a news agency Bloomberg The company has repeatedly threatened to pull Facebook and Instagram from Europe.
Already in February Meta has announced the end of its two popular social media channels. The reason is the European Union directives on data protection.
Privacy: Is Meta shutting down Instagram and Facebook in Europe?
As before, the impending demise of Facebook and Instagram is Meta’s response to plans by Ireland’s data protection authority, which oversees the technology group in Europe. Because in the next three months, the authority could paralyze transatlantic data traffic. Then there would no longer be data transfer between the EU and the US.
The basis of this decision is the Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC), which are intended to protect consumers from the unauthorized transfer of their private data abroad. Only in March did Europe and the US provisionally agree on one new data transfer pact he agreed.
The Supreme Court overturned an earlier EU agreement because US authorities could spy on data without adequate data protection guarantees. A new contract is currently being prepared. However, negotiations are expected to last until 2023, by which time Ireland could already ban standard contractual clauses.
Meta may no longer be able to offer services in Europe
In the US regulatory application, Meta has already announced the end for Facebook and Instagram. He says:
If the new transatlantic data transfer framework is not adopted and we are unable to continue to rely on the SCC or use other alternative means of transferring data from the European Union to the United States, we may not be able to offer many of our core products and services, including Facebook and Instagram, in Europe.
The decision would have a significant impact on Meta’s business, as well as the company’s financial condition and related operating results, the tech giant said. So the decision to pull the plug on Facebook and Instagram really can’t be in Meta’s best interest.
Hot debate on data transfer between Europe and the US
Already in 2020, a surprising decision of the EU’s highest court, the so-called Privacy Shield – the transatlantic pact for data transfer, was annulled. The decision came as Europe worried that citizens’ data was not safe from American surveillance.
Although standard contractual clauses were also confirmed at the time, the EU Court of Justice had doubts about American data protection. The Irish DPA was also unsure of the legality of SCC.
In February 2022, the regulator said SCC transfers should be suspended. The Irish have since revised that decision. Another 26 EU supervisory authorities are now expected to comment on the clarification.
The confrontation between Europe and Meta is also on the other side old shoe. Mark Zuckerberg wanted to withdraw Facebook and Instagram from the European market as early as 2020 if Ireland’s data protection commission banned data transfers between the EU and the US. European consumers can only hope that Europe and Meta will get together again this time.
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