EU cracks down on big tech, urges action against terrorist content after Hamas attack
European Union flags flutter outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, July 14, 2021.
In the wake of the recent Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent retaliatory airstrikes, the European Union has intensified its pressure on tech giants, insisting they remove illegal content from their platforms or face severe legal consequences.
Social media platforms have witnessed a surge in misleading information concerning the conflict, including manipulated images, misrepresented videos, and disturbing images of violence.
EU industry chief Thierry Breton has made a direct plea to tech moguls, emphasizing the need to combat disinformation and illegal content.
"Content circulating online that can be associated with Hamas qualifies as terrorist content, is illegal,and needs to be removed under both the DSA (Digital Services Act) and TCO (Terrorist Content Online) Regulation," Reuters quoted a Commission spokesperson.
The spokesperson added that the Commission would fully apply the DSA and closely monitor the complete implementation of the TCO, while urging online platforms to ensure full compliance with EU rules.
ThierryBreton's warnings to tech leaders have not gone unnoticed.
In a letter to Elon Musk, he underscored the misuse of Musk's messaging platform, X, for disseminating false information related to the Middle East conflict. Breton also issued a similar caution to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, urging strict adherence to European law.
Breton further emphasised that these companies have a mere 24-hour window to demonstrate their commitment to eradicating harmful content on their platforms.
The European Commission has played a crucial role in enforcing these new regulations, ensuring that large online platforms, including X and Meta's Facebook, remove illegal content and implement measures to safeguard public security and civic discourse.
According to Breton, non-compliance could result in fines of up to 6 per cent of the company's global turnover, with the possibility of being banned from operating in Europe for repeat offenders.
As the EU intensifies its efforts to curb the spread of harmful content related to terrorist activities, it remains unclear whether similar messages have been conveyed to other social media companies falling under the ambit of the DSA.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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