Spain investigates Meta over alleged 'massive' spying case on Android users

Spain's parliament is investigating Meta for allegedly spying on users in a "systematic and massive" privacy case, President Pedro Sánchez announced on Wednesday, following an investigation.

"In Spain, the law is above any algorithm or any large technology platform. And anyone who violates our rights will pay the consequences," Sánchez said in a statement.

The international investigation found that Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, used a hidden mechanism to track the web history of Android users from September 2024 until this summer.

"We are going to summon those responsible from the company and experts to clarify what happened, identify responsibilities and guarantee that the rights and freedoms of citizens have not been systematically and massively violated," Sánchez said.

The President also announced a set of Big Tech measures for the first half of 2026. These include measures in relation to disinformation, the protection of minors, hate speech and privacy.

The measure could place a strain on the relationship between the current US Administration and the Spanish Government.

Spain has already introduced a tax on tech giants, known as the 'Google tax**'** in 2018, making it the first European country to do so.

"If some people, no matter how powerful they are, which they are, think that they are above good and evil and that the rule of law does not apply to them, we have to tell them loud and clear that they are very wrong: our country and Europe are not going to kneel before the lies, hatred and abuse of power of this new technological oligarchy", Sánchez asserted during his speech.