EU Digital Chief Urges TikTok and X to Enhance Clean-Up Efforts, According to Reuters

BRUSSELS – The European Commission’s Vice President, Vera Jourova, has emphasized the need for video-sharing app TikTok and social media platform X to enhance their measures against illegal hate speech. This statement followed her recent meetings with executives from both companies.

Jourova, who oversees the EU’s digital economy initiatives, met with TikTok CEO Shou Chew and Nick Pickles, head of global affairs at X, as the European Union examines how major tech companies are managing harmful content.

In the past month, these platforms have come under increased scrutiny due to a rise in harmful content and disinformation following the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the EU. The EU is also focused on preventing disinformation from impacting the European Parliament elections scheduled for June 2024.

Under the Digital Services Act, which has been in effect for a year, large tech platforms and search engines are required to take stronger action against harmful and illegal content or face potential fines.

TikTok has reported that through the use of artificial intelligence and a team of over 6,000 moderators, it has removed millions of posts since the Hamas attack. The platform also has a dedicated team working to eliminate violent content involving minors.

Jourova stated that while she recognized some improvements, she urged TikTok to maintain and intensify its efforts against illegal content and child exploitation.

Regarding X, Jourova noted that the platform has insufficient staffing for certain EU languages, which hampers its ability to counter disinformation effectively. She raised concerns regarding the high incidence of violent and illegal content reported on the platform, with X’s Pickles acknowledging that such content has surged since the Hamas attack.

Jourova, who has previously engaged with executives from Meta and YouTube, expressed apprehension about X’s readiness for the upcoming EU elections due to its lower language coverage compared to other significant platforms.