Meta, TikTok and other platforms involved in an agreement with the European Union have agreed to strengthen monitoring of content related to attempts to cross Spain’s border. The move follows the tragedy in Ceuta, where around 100 people died in late July.
Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said the measures are intended in part to prevent criminal networks from using social media to spread false information and encourage people to make dangerous attempts to reach Europe.
On July 30, more than 70,000 potential migrants headed towards the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. A wave of viral videos had circulated on social media beforehand and may have influenced some people to attempt the crossing, according to Reuters.
What the platforms will change
- establish a dedicated mechanism for cooperation with fact-checking organisations;
- respond more quickly to content linked to the border crisis;
- block or restrict material related to human smuggling;
- hold daily discussions with the European Commission and Europol;
- independently determine how to limit the spread of such content.
The European Commission stressed that it is not ordering platforms to automatically remove posts. Instead, the measures rely on voluntary action by the companies to reduce the spread of potentially dangerous or misleading content.
Virkkunen also discussed the situation with Spain’s Minister for Digital Transformation, Óscar López. The two sides are looking at ways to reduce dangerous attempts to cross the border and prevent further loss of life.
Ceuta and Melilla remain the only land borders between the European Union and Africa. As a result, periodic surges in migration continue to pose a major challenge for Spain and the EU.
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