In the wake of the recent Hamas attack on Israel, the European Union (EU) has issued a stern warning to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, urging him to take immediate action to remove disinformation from his platforms. European Commissioner Thierry Breton penned a letter to Mr. Zuckerberg, informing Meta that they have a mere 24 hours to respond and ensure compliance with European law. Meta, a conglomerate that owns popular social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, along with Threads, faces potential penalties if it fails to meet the EU’s demands.
Breton’s letter emphasized the obligations related to content moderation outlined in the EU Digital Services Act. He addressed the surge of illegal content and disinformation spreading in the European Union following the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel. “I would ask you to be very vigilant to ensure strict compliance with the DSA rules on terms of service, on the requirement of timely, diligent, and objective action following notices of illegal content in the E.U.,” the letter stated.
The European Commissioner gave Meta a tight deadline of 24 hours to provide information on the “proportionate and effective” measures the company has taken to counter the spread of disinformation on its platforms, as reported by the BBC.
Failure to comply with the disinformation regulations outlined in the EU’s DSA Act could result in substantial penalties for Meta, including potential fines of up to 6% of their total worldwide annual turnover.
Notably, the EU has also issued warnings regarding disinformation to X, formerly known as Twitter, with Breton cautioning Elon Musk that X is spreading “illegal content and disinformation.”
In the aftermath of the recent Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes in Gaza, social media platforms have witnessed a surge in misinformation related to the conflict. This includes doctored images, mislabeled videos, and graphic violence, according to Reuters.
For more updates stay tuned to FELA News!
