Meta’s Dirty Little Secrets: The Battle for Transparency in the War on Disinformation

Image: Anton Harber. The man who’s taking on the tech giant to uncover its secrets.

In a shocking revelation, Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, has been embroiled in a bitter battle with free-speech advocacy group the Campaign for Free Expression (CFE) over its refusal to share information about its activities during South Africa’s recent general election.

The CFE demanded that Meta provide details on how it handled misinformation on its platforms, but the tech giant rebuffed the request, citing its headquarters in the US and claiming it was exempt from South Africa’s Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia). Meta’s move has sparked outrage and raised questions about its commitment to transparency and accountability.

But Anton Harber, executive director at the CFE, is not backing down. In an affidavit to the Information Regulator, Harber accused Meta of employing "unreasonable and formalistic" tactics to avoid sharing information about its election-related activities.

"Meta’s justification is devoid of any legal merit," Harber said. "The constitutional rights enjoyed by South African citizens are not suspended or otherwise limited when they engage with a foreign entity like Meta."

The CFE’s request for information sought answers to three key questions: Meta’s risk assessment and mitigation plan regarding the election, its plans for detecting online attacks on journalists, and how it would monitor its performance. But Meta’s response was cryptic and incomplete, leaving many to wonder what the company is hiding.

As the battle for transparency continues to escalate, one thing is clear: the future of democracy in South Africa hangs in the balance. Will Meta be forced to disclose its secrets, or will it continue to flaunt its power and subvert the law? Only time will tell.