Meta and TikTok told to detail efforts to curb conflict disinformation
New rules, known as the Digital Services Act, are being put to the test by the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The European Union (EU) has ratcheted up its scrutiny of big tech companies – with demands for Meta and TikTok to detail their efforts to curb illegal content and disinformation during the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The European Commission, the 27-nation bloc’s executive branch, formally requested that the social media companies provide information on how they are complying with sweeping new digital rules aimed at cleaning up online platforms.
The commission asked Meta and TikTok to explain the measures they have taken to reduce the risk of spreading and amplifying terrorist and violent content, hate speech and disinformation.
Under the EU’s new rules, which took effect in August, the biggest tech companies face extra obligations to stop a wide range of illegal content from flourishing on their platforms or face the threat of hefty fines.
The new rules, known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), are being put to the test by the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Photographs and videos have flooded social media of the carnage alongside posts from users pushing false claims and misrepresenting videos from other events.
Brussels issued its first formal request under the DSA last week to Elon Musk’s social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
European commissioner Thierry Breton, the bloc’s digital enforcer, had previously sent warning letters to the three platforms, as well as YouTube, highlighting the risks that the war poses.
“In our exchanges with the platforms, we have specifically asked them to prepare for the risk of live broadcasts of executions by Hamas — an imminent risk from which we must protect our citizens — and we are seeking assurances that the platforms are well prepared for such possibilities,” Mr Breton said in a speech on Wednesday.
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said it has a “well-established process for identifying and mitigating risks during a crisis while also protecting expression”.
After Hamas militants attacked Israeli communities, “we quickly established a special operations centre staffed with experts, including fluent Hebrew and Arabic speakers, to closely monitor and respond to this rapidly evolving situation”, the company said.
Meta said it has teams working around the clock to keep its platforms safe, take action on content that violates its policies or local law, and co-ordinate with third-party fact checkers in the region to limit the spread of misinformation.
TikTok did not respond to a request for comment.
The companies have until Wednesday to respond to questions related to their crisis response.
They also face a second deadline of November 8 for responses on protecting election integrity and, in TikTok’s case, child safety.
Depending on their responses, Brussels could decide to open formal proceedings against Meta or TikTok and impose fines for “incorrect, incomplete or misleading information”, the commission said.
