Coimisiún na Meán opens an investigation into the promotion of Meta content
The investigation will determine whether or not Meta has breached the principles set out in the EU Digital Services Act.
Ireland’s independent online media and news regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, has opened an investigation into Meta to examine issues surrounding how its recommendation systems promote content on Facebook and Instagram and whether it violates the EU’s Digital Services Act.
The watchdog is investigating concerns that Meta is preventing users from actively curating content from Instagram and Facebook feeds.
In a statement issued by Coimisiún na Meán, the regulatory body said, “Following the review of An Coimisiún’s Platform Supervision team and the examination of complaints, concerns have been raised regarding possible ‘dark patterns’, or fraudulent and deceptive interaction designs, which could prevent people from exercising their right to feed based on a non-profile-based system.”
The watchdog’s investigation will determine whether users can select and adjust their preferred settings, and whether this process is straightforward and accessible, as stipulated in the EU Digital Services Act. It will monitor the online interaction process of Facebook and Meta and whether it deceives users into choosing a recommendation system feed that is not based on profiling their personal data.
Commenting on the investigation, John Evans Commissioner for Digital Services at Coimisiún na Meán said: “In just over two years of the implementation of the Digital Services Act, the DSA has played a key role in re-balancing people’s rights and online platforms, placing greater obligations on platforms to keep people safe online, while providing people with greater rights than ever before.
“Coimisiún na Meán recognizes the concerns many people have about recommendation systems and the potential harm these algorithms can cause by repeatedly pushing harmful content into the feed of users, especially children and young people.”
He added, “Our message is clear, it’s not acceptable for platforms to prevent people from exercising their rights under the law, or to try to trick people into making informed decisions about whether feed system feeds control what they see online.”
If Meta is found to be in breach of the EU Digital Services Act, the Coimisiún na Meán can apply administrative financial sanctions, including a fine of up to 6pc of its turnover.
Meta has been on the wrong end of several investigations since the beginning of the year. A landmark legal case in March found that Meta and YouTube were meant to be intentional addiction to children. The same week a New Mexico judge ruled that Meta was a child endangerment misleading users about the security of its platforms. As a result Meta was ordered to pay $375m in damages.
In April it was decided by the EU that Instagram and Facebook violate the Digital Services Act for failing to “diligently” identify and mitigate risks affecting Internet users under 13 years of age. The findings were related to research looking at potentially addictive behaviors in children.
Don’t miss out on the information you need to succeed. Sign up for Daily BriefSilicon Republic’s digest of must-know sci-tech news.
