A few days ago the EU announced that it was launching an investigation into X, formerly Twitter, to explain how he was treating the information published on the social network about Israel and Gaza. But she is not going to be the only one who will have to answer for it, since The European Union has announced that it is also investigating Meta and TikTok for the same reason.
To this end, the EU has sent formal requests to both companies to inform the authorities in the region about the measures they are taking to address the processing of data published on their networks about the situation in Israel and Gaza. In all cases, social networks must comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA), which gives Thierry Breton, European Commissionerthe authority not only to request this information, but also to impose quite large fines on those who do not comply with its terms.
Specifically, the European Commission has asked Meta for more information on what it has done to mitigate the publication and reach of inaccurate or false content and information about the situation in the Middle East. As for TikTok, the request sent to it specifically requests information about «the expansion of terrorist and violent content and hate speech«.
In addition, TikTok has been asked to provide details about the steps it will take to protect minors online. Meta won’t get away with explaining the Middle East alone either, as he will also have to give details about what he is doing to protect the integrity of the elections.
Last Wednesday, Thierry Breton gave a speech on this matter in the European Parliament, in which he said that by identifying and pointing out the responsibility of the platforms, and their CEOs, in the management of illegal content distributed on their platforms, or in their lack of management, the EU sends a very explicit signal: «that things have changed in Europe. There is a law and it must be respected«.
Both Meta and TikTok have until October 25 to answer the questions that the EU has sent them related to the situation in the Middle East, and until November 8 to respond to those related to other topics. Based on the information it receives from the companies, the European Commission will decide what the next steps to take are.
Until now, when technology companies received a request like this, they used to avoid it or ignore it, sending responses that in most cases were not satisfactory. But if they do not respond now, or do not do so in a way that the EU considers that they have passed on all the requested information, the Commission has, thanks to the DSA, sufficient power to fine them up to six percent of their annual income global.
