What if Facebook and Instagram disappeared from Europe?
Facebook and Instagram: goodbye to Europe?
Mark Zuckerberg's group points the finger at the decision made last month by the Irish DPC (Data Protection Commission) that intends to force the company to stop the transfer of information regarding European subscribers to US servers. A preliminary order that directly cites fears related to surveillance operations potentially implemented by Washington. Remember anything? It is something not too dissimilar to the concerns that Trump and his people have expressed towards Beijing, calling into question alleged risks to national security and working consequently to ban TikTok (as well as the WeChat application and even before Huawei).In this case, however, Facebook is threatening to leave. To put it in black and white is Yvonne Cunnane, the company's Head of Data Protection and Privacy, in an official document. In his speech he defines "manifestly inadequate" the period of only three weeks granted to the platform to reply to what was established by Dublin, adding that Facebook was in no way contacted or listened to before issuing the order and pointing the finger at the commissioner Helen Dixon.
The fact that a person is responsible for the whole process is relevant to Facebook's concerns, weighs on the inadequacy of the investigative process engaged and the independence of the final decision.
A question of information and geographical boundaries
The following statement by a spokesperson of the company, who intervened to clarify that at the moment there are no risks for the future of the social network in the old continent, has more calm tones.Facebook it is not threatening to withdraw from Europe. Facebook, like many other companies, organizations and services, leverages the transfer of data between Europe and the United States to keep its services operational.
What emerges clearly from the story is that not only the ability to manage data is crucial for the platform business, but also where to do it. As for the threat to leave Europe, we see it more as a showdown aimed at forcing the Irish authority to review its decision than a well-founded prospect.
Source: VICE
