The European Union (EU) has requested Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, along with TikTok, to remove pro-Hamas content from their platforms. They have been given a deadline of October 25 to share information on their response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Both platforms have already issued their responses, but the European Commission has asked Meta to provide more details about the measures taken to combat the spread of misinformation, particularly regarding the dissemination and amplification of illegal content and disinformation following the terrorist attacks by Hamas. A similar request was made to TikTok, which addresses its compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA) and, in particular, its provisions related to the protection of minors online.
These requests come after the European Commission made similar inquiries to Elon Musk-owned X (formerly known as Twitter). Meta and TikTok are expected to provide information to the Commission by October 15 regarding their responses to the crisis and by November 8 on their efforts to protect the integrity of elections. The Commission will determine its next steps based on their responses.
A TikTok spokesperson confirmed that they are reviewing the request for information from the European Commission and mentioned their plans to publish their first transparency report under the DSA next week. This report will provide more information about their ongoing work to ensure the safety of their European community.
