What used to be chat services like ICQ or internet forums for the general public are now social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Co. The portals for exchanging ideas with family or friends have become an integral part of everyday life for many people. And businesses are also successfully managed with their help. Social media are everywhere and are both indicators and drivers of cultural and economic change. A society without it is hard to imagine. But this very future could possibly happen very soon in Europe.
Instagram and Facebook: privacy issues
At the heart of this forecast is the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This is intended to help protect the privacy of EU citizens. With good reason: the Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta has made headlines several times with data protection scandals.
In a new annual report by Meta for the US SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), those responsible address this problem. For Meta’s operational and advertising-driven business, it is crucial to be able to process data from users between different countries. However, the GDPR prevents the company from doing so.
If this situation persists, it could “affect the ability to provide our services, the way we offer them and how we serve advertising,” the document says.
GDPR and Meta: Decision in 2022
There is still no new data protection agreement with the EU. However, it is assumed that one will come about in the course of 2022. If not, a number of the most important products, including Facebook and Instagram, will probably no longer be offered in Europe.
As such, Meta urges that a proportionate and pragmatic approach be found. This is intended to minimize the consequences for numerous businesses that have relied on the previous system of “secure data transfer”.
Due to the widespread use of social media and its associated economic importance, a new agreement seems to be inevitable. Regardless of this, it is certainly not wrong to think about taking a personal break and deleting your own Instagram account.
Sources: Mashable, CityAM