Brussels demands explanations from Meta after CrowdTangle removal

The European Commission on Friday (August 16) requested information from Meta to verify compliance with EU rules after the removal of CrowdTangle, a tool considered essential for spotting and analyzing disinformation on Facebook and Instagram. CrowdTangle has been unavailable since August 14, to the dismay of many researchers and journalists who used it to track in real time the spread of conspiracy theories, incitement to violence or manipulation campaigns driven from abroad.

Brussels is asking Meta in particular to detail the measures taken in relation to its obligations, provided for in the Digital Services Regulation, to “giving researchers access to data” of Facebook and Instagram. The Commission is asking the Palo Alto group to inform it, by 6 September, of the decisions it intends to take on this matter. This request for information is part of an investigation opened at the end of April, five weeks before the European elections, against Facebook and Instagram, suspected of not respecting their obligations in the fight against disinformation.

Among the grievances listed, Brussels was particularly concerned about the proposed removal of CrowdTangle without an adequate replacement solution. The decision by the parent company of Facebook and Instagram to remove the tool has been the subject of strong criticism on both sides of the Atlantic. In an open letter to Meta, the Mozilla Foundation, a global non-profit organization, had requested that the service be kept on at least until January 2025, highlighting in particular the many electoral events in 2024, including the American presidential election.