Meta clarifies stance on pulling Facebook and WhatsApp out of Europe | ZDNet

Image: Getty Images Meta, formerly Facebook, has clarified the comments it made in an annual report about “likely” pulling Facebook and Instagram from Europe if it was prevented from transferring data from the EU to the US due to the lack of an international agreement.The clarification was posted after the company’s comments made headlines across some media outlets, with German Economy Minister Robert Habeck and French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire reportedly clapping back at Meta’s “threat” by saying they would be okay with Facebook not having a presence in Europe.In Meta’s annual 10-K filing [PDF] to US regulators, the company wrote: “If a new transatlantic data transfer framework is not adopted … we will likely be unable to offer a number of our most significant products and services, including Facebook and Instagram, in Europe.”   The “threat” regarding the lack of a data transfer framework came in response to the Safe Harbour Agreement and Privacy Shield, both being struck down by the European Court of Justice in recent years. The agreements were struck down due to the court’s concerns regarding what happens to the data of EU citizens when it is moved to US-based servers.  In a blog post, Meta Europe public policy VP Markus Reinisch said his…
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