The European Union has called on Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to take action against “illegal content” and disinformation on its platforms in light of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
In a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Thierry Breton, the EU’s commissioner for Internal Market, expressed concerns about the “surge of illegal content and disinformation” being spread through certain platforms in the EU.
Breton emphasized the need for Meta to comply strictly with the Digital Services Act, a set of regulations implemented by the EU to govern online platforms across the bloc.
He stressed that Meta should promptly and objectively address illegal content reported on its platforms and implement effective measures to mitigate such content.
Breton also sent a stern warning to X, formerly known as Twitter, regarding the dissemination of illegal content and disinformation within the EU. Despite notifications to authorities, potential illegal content continued to circulate on X.
He urged Elon Musk, the owner of X, to take action and remove relevant content when necessary. Breton also called for transparency in defining what content is permissible and consistent enforcement of policies to address risks to public security and civic discourse caused by disinformation.
In recent days, X has faced criticism for amplifying misleading information about the Israel war, including the spread of false claims and misrepresentation of old images and footage as current. Some accounts posing as official news outlets have contributed to this issue.
X’s trust and safety team stated its commitment to protecting conversations on the platform. They have already taken action by removing newly created Hamas-affiliated accounts and tens of thousands of posts containing graphic media, violent speech, and hateful conduct.
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