The global policy director of Meta Platforms Inc. stated that the tech giant is prepared to engage with former President Donald Trump if the European Union employs its digital regulations to target Meta’s offerings.
Joel Kaplan, a veteran strategist within the Republican Party and appointed by CEO Mark Zuckerberg to oversee global affairs after Trump’s re-election, expressed at the Munich Security Conference that it is up to the Trump administration to determine if EU penalties on U.S. tech firms are unjust. He emphasized that Meta would advocate for itself if it believes it is being unfairly treated.
Kaplan remarked during a panel discussion moderated by Stephanie Flanders, head of economics and government at Bloomberg, “When companies are discriminated against in a manner that sets them apart, it is essential to bring this to the attention of their home government.”
He stated, “While we are committed to complying with European laws — and will continue to do so — we will also highlight instances where we feel we have been treated unjustly.” Kaplan recently took over the role from Nick Clegg in January. Trump has included the issue of EU penalties on tech companies in his trade discussions, previously labeling such measures as a “form of taxation” during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, where he expressed significant grievances with the EU. Kaplan’s comments came amid strained transatlantic relations at the Munich conference, where Vice President JD Vance led the U.S. delegation and criticized European leaders. He pointed to EU regulations on social media as a means of stifling free speech, particularly regarding far-right groups advocating for issues like migration. Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned Vance’s outreach to right-wing parties, such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD), as an inappropriate interference in the democratic process in advance of elections. While EU officials argue that restrictions on social media are intended to combat hate speech and misinformation, Kaplan aligned with Vance’s viewpoint, suggesting these regulations might infringe upon free expression. He highlighted Meta’s implementation of Community Notes, allowing users to fact-check content on its platforms. “We oppose misinformation,” Kaplan stated. “However, perceptions of what constitutes misinformation vary among individuals.”
Despite owning popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, Meta has faced challenges under the EU’s extensive digital regulations, accumulating over €2 billion ($2.1 billion) in fines for violations related to antitrust and data protection laws. Additionally, the company is under investigation for potentially failing to safeguard minors under the EU’s Digital Services Act, which imposes fines of up to 6% of a company’s global annual revenue. Recently, Meta indicated it may not participate in an EU-led code of conduct for advanced artificial intelligence model providers. In response to a question about Europe’s competitiveness in the digital sector, Kaplan cautioned against measuring the “success of its regulatory framework solely by the frequency and magnitude of fines.” He asserted that the EU’s tech regulations have placed its economy at a “significant disadvantage.”
