TikTok latest firm after X and Meta to be warned by EU over Hamas videos

The EU has issued a warning to TikTok regarding the dissemination of “disinformation” on its platform in the aftermath of Hamas’ attack on Israel. In a letter to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, the EU has called on the company to intensify its efforts and clarify how it is adhering to European law within the next 24 hours. Social media platforms have witnessed a surge in misleading information related to the conflict, encompassing manipulated images and incorrectly labeled videos.

The EU had previously cautioned X (formerly Twitter) and Meta about similar content. They emphasized that TikTok has a specific responsibility to safeguard children and teenagers from violent and terrorist content, as well as challenges that may pose risks to life.

EU Commissioner Thierry Breton posted about the issue, underscoring TikTok’s obligation to address these concerns, particularly given its popularity among young people.

X had been given a comparable 24-hour ultimatum earlier. The company’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, responded by stating that they had removed or flagged tens of thousands of pieces of content since the Hamas attack on Israel and had also taken down hundreds of accounts.

Facebook and Instagram-owner Meta have also received a warning from the EU regarding disinformation, accompanied by a 24-hour deadline. While the EU has not commented on whether it received a response from Meta, they stated that discussions with the company’s compliance teams are ongoing.

In her letter to the EU, Yaccarino mentioned that X had responded to over 80 requests from the EU to remove content and had added contextual notes to specific posts. These notes provide background information on the content and appear on thousands of posts featuring matching images or videos.

EU Commissioner Thierry Breton has demanded that both X and Meta demonstrate their timely and diligent actions taken in response to these concerns. The EU introduced new laws in August 2023 to regulate online content, and these laws require very large online platforms to proactively remove illegal content and demonstrate their measures to do so upon request.

The EU can take various steps to enforce compliance, including conducting interviews, inspections, imposing fines, and, as a last resort, requesting temporary bans on platforms operating in the EU if they fail to address the issues identified.