A new scandal is unfolding in the lower house of the Spanish parliament involving Meta. The Socialist Party (PSOE) has formally demanded that company founder Mark Zuckerberg, Chief Operating Officer Javier Oliván, and Head of Public Relations for Spain and Portugal José Luis Zimmermann personally answer questions from lawmakers. The sharply worded response was triggered by suspicions that millions of Facebook and Instagram users may have been subjected to covert online surveillance.
The party’s statement cited a potential large-scale breach of privacy that has sparked widespread public outcry. The issue of transparency among digital giants is once again under scrutiny by Spanish lawmakers. According to parliament members, the situation requires immediate examination at the highest level.
Government response
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, speaking at the Metafuturo forum, emphasized that the authorities do not intend to turn a blind eye to such incidents. He announced that an official investigation has been launched to clarify all the circumstances and bring those responsible to account. Sánchez specifically stressed that in Spain, the law takes precedence over any algorithms or the interests of large tech corporations.
According to the head of government, protecting citizens’ fundamental rights is a top priority for the state. He promised that any violations would be stopped, and those responsible would be held accountable. This statement comes amid growing public discontent and active debate on the issue in the media.
Scientific investigation
At the center of the scandal are the results of a joint study by the Spanish IMDEA Networks Institute, the Belgian KU Leuven University, and Radboud University of the Netherlands. Researchers discovered that Meta had been using a covert mechanism for nearly a year to track the online activity of Android device owners through the Facebook and Instagram apps.
The system made it possible to record visited websites even when using incognito mode or a VPN, and then linked the collected data to users’ personal profiles. According to experts, this constitutes covert information gathering without any user consent. This has raised serious concerns about the scale and consequences of such practices.
Legal consequences
If the suspicions are confirmed, Meta could face serious legal challenges. PSOE representatives reminded that such actions contradict several European laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the ePrivacy Directive, and regulations on digital markets and services. In other countries, such as Germany, the USA, and Canada, class action lawsuits have already been filed against the company on similar grounds.
In Spain, the situation has become particularly acute due to the scale of the potential violations and the public outcry. Authorities aim to ensure maximum transparency and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The issue of oversight over the activities of international IT giants has once again sparked lively debate among politicians and experts.
Meta’s management has yet to comment officially on the demands made by Spanish lawmakers. However, pressure from both authorities and the public continues to build. Being summoned to a parliamentary hearing could pose a serious challenge to the company’s reputation in the Spanish market.
Many observers note that this case may set a precedent for other EU countries, where issues of digital security and personal data protection are becoming increasingly important. Spanish lawmakers insist on the need for strict oversight of the activities of transnational IT corporations.
RUSSPAIN.COM reports that Meta (formerly Facebook Inc.) is one of the world’s largest tech companies, owning platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Mark Zuckerberg founded the company in 2004, and since then it has repeatedly come under investigation over user privacy and data security issues. In recent years, Meta has faced growing regulatory pressure in various countries, including Europe and the United States.
