EU alerts TikTok users over  “illegal content and misinformation

Following the brutal Hamas attack in Israel on Thursday, the top tech policeman for the EU, Commissioner Thierry Breton, warned TikTok about “illegal content and disinformation” on its platform.

The alert was similar to those Breton issued this week to X, formerly Twitter, and Facebook parent Meta, and included a request that Chinese-owned TikTok respond within 24 hours with information on how it is combating online misinformation.

Breton wrote to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew saying, “Given that your platform is widely used by children and teenagers, you have a particular obligation to protect them from violent content depicting hostage taking and other graphic videos that are reportedly widely circulating on your platform, without appropriate safeguards.”

Breton emphasized that TikTok and other sizable online platforms were subject to the EU’s new Digital Services Act (DSA), legislation that went into effect two months ago and mandates that they take action against content that is prohibited by EU law or the laws of specific EU member states.

A company that violates the DSA may be subject to fines of up to 6% of its global revenue, mandatory corrective actions to stop the offending content, or even possible European platform bans.

Breton wrote to Chew that his request was urgent and required a response “within the next 24 hours,” similar to his letters to X owner Elon Musk and Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg.

The entire letter was posted on Breton’s accounts on X and a new one he created this week on X rival Bluesky.

Misinformation and disinformation about the Hamas attack in Israel last weekend have increased, according to the reputable online verification, investigation, and debunking website Bellingcat.

It listed instances of videos that were posted on X, TikTok, and other platforms that were false or deceptive.

It discovered a number of these videos on Telegram, a social media platform that is currently exempt from the DSA but will be in February once it begins to include smaller platforms.

AFP.