EU lawmakers seek probe into Meta over Albania protest account suspensions

September 18, 2026 at 06:00 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

More than 30 MEPs have asked the European Commission to investigate Meta's mass suspension of accounts tied to Albania's anti-government protests. The suspensions, mostly from copyright complaints, began in late August and have hit at least 100 accounts. The lawmakers say the action may violate the EU's Digital Services Act.

Key Facts

More than 30 MEPs signed a letter asking the European Commission to investigate Meta's compliance with the Digital Services Act.
Repro Uncensored verified around 100 account restrictions connected to the protests, with the true number possibly several hundred.
The suspensions began in late August and almost all stem from copyright complaints.
In at least 70 cases, the group confirmed removal of protest-related posts and videos, account restrictions, and loss of collaboration features.
The 'Flamingo Revolution' protests have taken place daily in Tirana for over three months, demanding legal changes and the prime minister's resignation.

EU Lawmaker Response

MEP Alexandra Geese called the suspensions 'tantamount to censorship' and said Mark Zuckerberg's understanding of free speech only covers opinions aligned with the Trump administration. She is one of more than 30 MEPs who signed a letter to the European Commission requesting an investigation into whether Meta's actions complied with the EU's Digital Services Act. The letter follows the mass suspension of accounts posting about the anti-government protests in Albania.

Coordinated Copyright Complaints

Repro Uncensored founder Martha Dimitratou said the concentration of cases around the same political movement distinguished this from ordinary content moderation. The group verified around 100 account restrictions and estimates the true number could be several hundred based on ongoing reports. In at least one case, the complaint was traced to someone who claimed they had been paid to make it. Dimitratou said multiple posts on an account would receive five to ten copyright complaints in a short period, followed by escalating enforcement and sometimes full account disabling. The alleged paid reporting, repeated complaint sequences, and targeting of replacement accounts strongly indicate coordinated activity, according to Repro Uncensored.

Protest Context

The 'Flamingo Revolution' protests were sparked by a luxury resort development linked to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Protesters have gathered daily in Tirana for over three months, demanding changes to laws allowing development on protected land and the resignation of the prime minister. Nearly all affected accounts appeared to be targeted with reports of copyright infringement, and in at least 70 cases the group confirmed removal of protest-related content and account restrictions.