Mark Zuckerberg Accuses EU Of Censorship, Spokesperson Pushes Back On Meta's Allegations: 'We Absolutely Refute Any Claims'

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg's accusation of censorship has been firmly denied by the European Commission.

What Happened: On Wednesday, the European Commission dismissed claims by Meta that EU data laws censor social media, reported Reuters.

The Commission stated that their regulations only mandate the removal of illegal content. “We absolutely refute any claims of censorship,” said a Commission spokesperson.

See Also: Amid Nvidia's CES 2025 Buzz, Investors Overlooked Apple Supplier Foxconn's Strong Q4, Says Jim Cramer

Zuckerberg had criticized European laws, stating they hinder innovation by institutionalizing censorship. In response, the Commission said that the Digital Services Act does not compel platforms to remove lawful content but targets harmful material.

Meta has decided to eliminate fact-checkers for its platforms in the U.S., opting for a “community notes” system similar to that used by Elon Musk's X.

The European Commission noted that for such a system to operate in the EU, platforms must conduct risk assessments and submit them to the EU executive.

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Why It Matters: The tension between Meta Platforms and the European Union is not new. In November 2024, the European Commission imposed an $841 million fine on Meta for antitrust violations related to Facebook Marketplace.

Later in December, Meta faced another setback when the Irish Data Protection Commission fined the company $264 million over a 2018 data breach. 

Price Action: Meta's stock closed Wednesday's trading session down 1.16%, finishing at $610.72. In after-hours trading, the shares dipped an additional 0.34%, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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Photo Courtesy: Flickr.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.