Meta faces new questions over outages, privacy, and energy

25.07.2026 08:03 HotInfo

Facebook and Instagram, which belong to Meta, are adding further news about operations, security, and the regulation of social networks following July's outage. Users in several countries, including Slovakia, had previously reported problems accessing accounts and logging in, while more recent reports also concerned Messenger and other Meta services. hnonline.sk ↗

Meta has also confirmed that it has abandoned the global RE100 commitment, under which large companies pledge to source all their electricity from renewable sources. This step comes at a time of expanding data centers, which is also linked to the growing demands of artificial intelligence and digital services. RTE News ↗

The company is also addressing privacy issues with new devices. According to new information, it is set to start blocking users who secretly record videos intended for publication on Instagram using smart glasses. This is a response to concerns about covert recording and harassment. Index.hu ↗

Further pressure is coming in the area of protecting young users. In the US, a teenager withdrew a lawsuit against Meta shortly before the trial was due to begin, in which they linked social media use to anxiety and depression. In Germany, meanwhile, calls have emerged for an age limit on social networks and for clear buttons to report the sexual solicitation of children on digital platforms. Der Standard ↗

Broader regulatory pressure also continues in the tax area. In the United Kingdom, according to a Monday survey by the Fair Tax Foundation, two-thirds of respondents supported an increase in the digital services tax. BBC News ↗

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