The news:

• South Africa’s Information Regulator has launched an investigation into Meta Platforms — the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — following its refusal to provide crucial information requested by the Campaign for Free Expression (CFE).
• The free-speech advocacy group had invoked the Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia) to obtain details about Meta’s actions and protocols during South Africa’s general election on May 29, 2024.

On April 3, 2024, CFE filed a request asking Meta to disclose information about the threats it identified during the election, the data it collected, and the measures it took to mitigate misinformation across its platforms.

This request aimed to ensure transparency and assess whether Meta effectively managed the risks associated with the election.

However, Meta denied the request on April 17, 2024, arguing that as a US-based company, it is not subject to South African law, including Paia.

“Meta Inc is a corporation organised and existing under the laws of Delaware in the United States of America and does not have a legal presence in South Africa. Accordingly, Meta Inc is not subject to Paia,” the company noted in a letter by legal firm Bowmans, as seen by TechCentral.