EU Tells Meta, TikTok to Boost Monitoring, Fact-Checking
The European Commission called for stronger monitoring and fact-checking after a viral rumor helped drive a mass crossing into the enclave, officials said.
- On Friday, the European Commission held talks with Meta and TikTok, calling on them to "act decisively" to stem disinformation following last week's Ceuta migrant surge.
- A rumor that the Ceuta border was open fueled a massive rush into Spanish territory, where authorities reported 80 people died in the crossings.
- Technology company Golden Owl concluded with a "high degree of confidence" the rush "was a deliberately organized operation," while Magnus Brunner said it was fueled by smuggling networks and disinformation.
- Henna Virkkunen, commissioner for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said "monitoring must increase" and the EU would be "following up on Monday" to strengthen coordination with Europol.
- The episode, described by Brunner as a "test" of border security, caused a diplomatic rift between Spain and Italy, while right-wing voices used the incident to claim Europe is under siege.
49 Articles
49 Articles
Videos and messages on platforms such as TikTok suggested, among other things, that the otherwise heavily guarded border between Morocco and Spain had suddenly been opened.
A week after the migration crisis in Ceuta, the search for its causes continues: a wave of misinformation on social media, a rumor that allegedly drove tens of thousands of people to reach the Spanish enclave in Morocco, sometimes by swimming, is frequently cited. Consequently, the European Union has requested clarification from the American company Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, as well as from the Chinese company TikTok.
Over the past week, around 72,000 people headed from Morocco to Ceuta, an autonomous Spanish territory in North Africa.
The European Commission's executive vice president has asked the platforms to "act firmly." More information: The network that pushed the assault on Ceuta is still active: "The campaign of August 15 has been displaced, not dismantled"
El Periódico
ExpansiónEuropean Commission Executive Vice President for Technology Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, this Friday asked Meta and TikTok to increase surveillance and strengthen data verification in relation to the recent migration crisis in Ceuta.Continue reading....
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 40% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
