European lawmakers are demanding an investigation into Meta's actions after suspending thousands of accounts discussing anti-government protests in Albania. MEP Alexandra Geese argues that these actions amount to censorship, citing political bias in how Meta interprets freedom of speech.

Protests, dubbed the “Flamingo Revolution,” have been ongoing in Albania for over three months, demanding changes to laws allowing development on protected land and the resignation of the prime minister. Meta's account suspensions are believed to be the result of coordinated copyright complaints, possibly paid for, targeting those involved in the protests.

Martha Dimitratou, founder of Repro Uncensored, has verified over 100 cases of account restrictions, with many instances showing repeated copyright complaints that escalated to account disablement. Arjan Koçi, a British-Albanian protester, received false reports claiming he had used copyrighted content, leading to his account being restricted. He was offered a payout to withdraw the reports.

The use of copyright claims as a tool for censorship raises concerns about the manipulation of digital spaces. Kian Vesteinsson, deputy director for tech policy and digital rights research at Freedom House, warns that such tactics can be used in conflicts, like the one in Myanmar, to silence critics.

Meta’s system, designed to protect intellectual property, is being weaponized to suppress free speech, highlighting the need for clearer guidelines and oversight in how such tools are used.