Meta denies it will shut down Facebook and Instagram in Europe. They issued an official statement after several media outlets reported that Meta threatened to block its services in Europe due to data transfer agreement issues.
In a blog post, Meta's VP of Public Policy in Europe Markus Reinisch said the company is not threatening to pull out of Europe at all.
"Meta does not want or threaten to leave Europe and reports implying that times will leave Europe are simply not true. Like 70 other EU and US companies, we identified business risks that arise from the uncertainty surrounding international data transfers," Reinisch said, as quoted from ZDNet, Friday (11/2/2022).
"We want to see the basic rights of EU users protected, and we want the internet to continue to operate as intended: frictionless, in accordance with applicable law -- but not limited by national boundaries."
Meta's 'threat' to withdraw from Europe is implied in the annual report addressed to the US Securities and Trade Commission. The report said Meta may not be able to offer some of its services, including Facebook and Instagram, in Europe if the US and EU fail to ratify a new data transfer agreement.
The main problem that Meta faced was related to the Safe Harbor Agreement and Privacy Shield which were canceled by the European Court of Justice. The agreement was canceled because the European Union was concerned about what would happen to its citizens' data if it was transferred to a US-based server.
But it looks like the EU isn't worried about Meta's bluff either. European regulators admit that it doesn't matter if Meta blocks Facebook and Instagram services on the Blue Continent.
"I can confirm that life is very good without Facebook and we will be able to live better without Facebook," said French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire.
"The digital giant must understand that the European continent will fight and assert its sovereignty," he continued.