Animal Welfare Cuba wins legal battle against Instagram over censorship and content blocking

The independent organization Bienestar Animal Cuba (BAC-Habana) celebrated a legal victory this Sunday after getting Instagram to lift the restrictions imposed on its official account, which they describe as a "historic legal precedent" against technology platforms.

For months, BAC reported being a victim of systematic censorship, content removal, and significant reach limitations on Instagram, without receiving a clear notification or valid justification from Meta, the parent company of the social network, the organization explained in a post on Facebook.

However, the key to the case lay in the legal jurisdiction under which their accounts were registered: not in Cuba or the United States, but in the European Union, where stricter regulations on digital rights, privacy, and freedom of expression apply, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Digital Services Act (DSA).

With specialized legal counsel, BAC filed a formal complaint with the Appeals Centre Europe, the European body responsible for mediating between users and technology platforms.

The result was decisive: Instagram had violated the digital rights of a non-profit organization protected by European regulations.

The ruling forced Meta to amend its actions, lift all restrictions on the BAC account, and thus prevent the case from going to court.

Had it advanced legally, the company could have faced a lawsuit for moral damages and activity restriction, with an estimated economic loss amounting to thousands of euros.

"We won," announced BAC-Habana, adding: "This victory is not just ours. It is a call to all social organizations, NGOs, and impactful projects: you are not alone. There are legal mechanisms to resist and overcome, even against technological giants."

The organization announced that it is now preparing to file a similar action against Facebook, which is also owned by Meta.

"Justice does not need permission to act. It only needs conviction to endure," they concluded.

The work of Bienestar Animal Cuba has gained increasing visibility due to concrete actions taken in response to cases of animal cruelty on the island.

In Gibara, the organization played a key role in achieving the arrest of an individual who brutally sacrificed a horse, an incident that sparked great outrage on social media. Thanks to citizen pressure and the legal follow-up by BAC, the case did not go unpunished.

On another front, they have promoted rescue and adoption campaigns, such as the case of the search for a home for the dog Luna, who was left behind after her owners emigrated.

The constant monitoring of the case reflected the organization's commitment to animals left in abandonment due to social or migratory reasons.

Additionally, they have responded to neighbors' complaints about ongoing cruelty situations, such as the case of a dog kept chained all day on a terrace in Havana, where the support from BAC proved crucial in initiating a process of mediation and animal protection.

These sustained and strategic interventions confirm that their actions are not limited to legal or institutional frameworks but directly address the needs of animals and their communities.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Legal Victory of Animal Welfare Cuba against Instagram