X and Meta in the sights of the Italian government

The Italian government has launched a lawsuit against Meta, X, and LinkedIn, claiming hundreds of millions of euros in back taxes.

This request is related to the exploitation of users’ personal data by these companies, especially on their social platforms.

In parallel, the government has filed unprecedented tax claims regarding VAT, an indirect consumption tax, against these American tech giants.

Meta is being claimed nearly 888 million euros, or more than 960 million US dollars, for its handling of personal data.

X (formerly Twitter) is also targeted, with a demand of more than 12 million euros, the equivalent of nearly 13 million US dollars.

LinkedIn, for its part, is being sued for nearly 140 million euros, or more than 151 million US dollars.

The amounts claimed cover different periods for each company, ranging from 2015 to 2022, and concern the tax practices of these digital giants.

This major announcement follows an in-depth investigation conducted by the Italian tax authorities, regarding allegations of tax fraud.

Ongoing investigations reveal that these companies would have failed to properly pay VAT on the services provided, particularly those related to the exploitation of user data.

This action by the Italian government is part of a broader framework aimed at strengthening tax regulation of tech giants operating in Europe.

This also shows the will of Italy’s authorities to enforce tax laws regarding personal data and ensure that large corporations respect local tax rules.