The European Union (EU) has issued a warning to TikTok regarding the spread of “disinformation” on the platform following Hamas’ attack on Israel. In a letter to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, the EU urged the company to “urgently step up” efforts to address the issue and demanded that TikTok clarify its compliance with European law within the next 24 hours.
Social media platforms have witnessed a surge in misinformation related to the conflict, including manipulated images and mislabeled videos. The EU had previously issued warnings to Twitter (formerly X) and Meta about the presence of such content on their platforms.
The EU emphasized the importance of TikTok being mindful of its popularity among young people. EU commissioner Thierry Breton stated, “TikTok has a particular obligation to protect children & teenagers from violent content and terrorist propaganda as well as death challenges & potentially life-threatening content.”
Twitter (X) received a similar 24-hour deadline earlier, and the company’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, responded by informing the EU that tens of thousands of pieces of content had been removed or flagged since the Hamas attack on Israel. Additionally, hundreds of accounts were removed.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, also received a warning from the EU regarding disinformation, along with a 24-hour deadline. The EU did not comment on Meta’s response but indicated that ongoing contact was maintained with the company’s compliance teams.
A Meta spokesperson stated, “Our teams are working around the clock to keep our platforms safe, take action on content that violates our policies or local law, and coordinate with third-party fact checkers in the region to limit the spread of misinformation.”
Linda Yaccarino, X’s CEO, mentioned that the company had redirected resources and refocused internal teams to address the content issue. She noted that X had responded to over 80 requests from the EU to remove content and added contextual notes to specific posts.
Regarding the EU’s claim of “illegal content,” Yaccarino stated that X had not received any notices from Europol.
EU commissioner Thierry Breton demanded that both X and Meta demonstrate their timely, diligent, and objective actions in response to the issue.
The EU introduced new laws in August 2023 under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to regulate online content. Very large online platforms are required to proactively remove “illegal content” and demonstrate measures taken upon request.
The EU did not specify the next steps in these specific cases but explained that under the law, it has the authority to conduct interviews and inspections. If platforms fail to comply or address identified problems, the EU can impose fines and, as a last resort, request temporary bans from the EU.
