Facebook would have brandished the threat of depriving Europe of its applications if an Irish decree prevented it from exporting the data of users of the Old Continent to the United States.
Officially, the most used social network in the world denies having used this argument in the legal battle.
What if Facebook left Europe?
Regularly, the social network ensures that it does not threaten to close in Europe.
According to the
Sunday Business Post
, the person in charge of the private life at Facebook, Yvonne Cunnane, would however have brandished this threat last week.
It was responding to a request from the Irish Data Protection Commission, the equivalent of the Cnil in that country.
The export of the data in question
It all started last month, when this Irish authority issued a decree banning Facebook from exporting the data of its European users to the United States.
Ireland, where Facebook's European headquarters are located, fears that US intelligence services could spy on European users of the social network.
To counter this decision, Facebook has filed a complaint and is challenging the legality of this decision.
In the documents, the social network does not beat around the bush.
"If the decision is upheld, we do not see how Facebook will be able to continue to offer its services or those of Instagram in the European Union", it is indicated in the revelations of the
Sunday Business Post,
concerning the affidavit by Yvonne Cunnane.
Witch hunt ?
A Facebook spokesperson assured that this was not a threat at all.
In reality, it is hard to imagine the social network closing its doors to more than 400 million users.
As often, this is a communication battle that begins, with a judicial counterpart.
Facebook did not hesitate to play the victim, accusing the Irish Commission of not targeting any other social network, and pointing the finger at the chair of this commission, which Facebook assures us that she is the sole decision maker.