Meta Faced Digital Services Act Compliance Complaint
The group What To Fix alleges Meta allowed sanctioned actors to access Facebook monetization tools.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Advertising
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Digital accountability group What To Fix has filed a formal complaint with the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets regarding Meta's compliance with the EU Digital Services Act. The filing centers on allegations that the platform permitted pages linked to sanctioned actors to access its advertising and monetization systems.
Why it matters
The complaint alleges systematic failures in Meta's reporting, appeals, and contact infrastructure, raising significant regulatory risks for operators reliant on Meta's ad ecosystem. These claims challenge the effectiveness of current platform guardrails required under European law.
The digital accountability group What To Fix filed a formal complaint against Meta, marking a new challenge to the platform's adherence to the EU Digital Services Act. The extent of the alleged monetization access by sanctioned entities remains under review by Dutch regulators.
The players
Meta
A multinational technology conglomerate that dominates the social media and digital advertising sectors.
What To Fix
A digital accountability group focused on enforcing platform compliance with internet safety regulations.
Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets
The national regulatory body responsible for overseeing market competition and consumer protection in the Netherlands.
The details
The complaint asserts that Meta failed to prevent sanctioned actors from utilizing its monetization tools, a direct violation of safety protocols mandated by the Digital Services Act. Furthermore, the group claims that Meta's internal systems for reporting content, processing appeals, and maintaining contact channels fail to meet the transparency and accountability standards required of large platforms operating in the European Union.
Timeline
September 21, 2026: What To Fix filed the complaint against Meta.
Market Landscape
This complaint follows a pattern of heightened enforcement actions seeking to hold large digital platforms accountable for their automated safety and monetization systems under the EU Digital Services Act. It highlights the growing scrutiny on how platform-wide policies translate into enforceable operational compliance.
Operators using Meta’s ad tools should audit their supply-side safety logs and confirm that their own compliance documentation aligns with EU Digital Services Act mandates. Monitoring whether the Dutch regulator initiates a formal probe is essential for assessing potential downstream impacts on platform ad availability.
The takeaway
Large platform operators are under increasing pressure to demonstrate that their automated monetization systems are robust enough to filter out sanctioned entities. Business leaders should track the outcome of the Dutch inquiry as a bellwether for potential platform-wide policy shifts.
Further reading
For broader trends in platform transparency and ad policy, see our coverage in Advertising.
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Should social media companies be held liable for sanctioned actors using their monetization tools?
