Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Wednesday that Spain will launch an investigation into Meta, the parent company of Facebook, over allegations that the tech giant violated the privacy of millions of users.
As part of the move, Meta executives will be summoned to appear before the Spanish parliament.
According to a statement from Sanchez’s office, the decision follows findings by experts from Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Their investigation revealed that Meta used a “hidden mechanism” for nearly a year to monitor the online activities of Android users. The data reportedly included the web pages users visited on their browsers, which was then linked to their identities on Facebook and Instagram, even when they were browsing in incognito mode or using a VPN.
The statement noted that such practices may have breached several EU data protection and digital services laws. Meta is already facing similar lawsuits in Canada, Germany, and the United States.
Speaking at a forum in Madrid, Sanchez confirmed that Meta representatives would be invited to appear before the parliament’s economic affairs and digital transformation committee. He stressed the importance of accountability, saying they must “clarify what happened so that they guarantee that the rights and freedoms of citizens were not systematically and massively violated.” He added that “the law is above any algorithm or any big tech platform.”
Meta has not yet responded to AFP’s request for comment.
Sanchez has consistently called for stronger regulations on social media, arguing that platforms must be held responsible for their role in spreading disinformation and influencing public discourse. He has accused powerful tech owners of attempting to shape Western governments through their platforms.
Earlier in January, he proposed measures to end online anonymity and require tech billionaires to be held accountable if their platforms “poison society.”
What you should know
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s push to investigate Meta aligns with his broader campaign for stricter oversight of social media platforms.
The new allegations center on claims that Meta secretly tracked Android users’ browsing habits and linked the data to their social media identities.
With potential violations of EU digital laws, Spain is taking a prominent role in scrutinizing Big Tech’s influence and data practices.
