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EU's digital law falls short on disinformation from outside the bloc
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Technology

EU's digital law falls short on disinformation from outside the bloc

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • The European Commission stated that its Digital Services Act (DSA) only applies within the EU, limiting its ability to address disinformation originating outside the bloc.
  • Brussels has established a voluntary cooperation mechanism with platforms like Meta and TikTok, and data verification organizations to combat misinformation related to migration routes to Ceuta.
  • The Commission emphasized that content moderation decisions ultimately rest with the platforms, while it facilitates coordination and information sharing.

The European Commission has acknowledged limitations in its digital law, stating that the Digital Services Act (DSA) is confined to the EU. This means Brussels cannot directly enforce its regulations on disinformation originating outside the bloc, such as from Morocco.

Meta and TikTok have activated their crisis protocols and an ad hoc mechanism for escalation and cooperation with data verifiers has been launched.

— Balazs UjvariEU spokesperson Balazs Ujvari explaining the cooperation mechanism with platforms and verifiers.

Despite this, the Commission is actively working with social media platforms like Meta and TikTok, along with data verification organizations, to tackle misinformation concerning migration routes to Ceuta. A voluntary cooperation mechanism has been put in place, with platforms activating crisis protocols and a system for escalating issues and collaborating with fact-checkers.

The decision resides with the platforms; we simply coordinate and bring the actors together.

— Balazs UjvariEU spokesperson Balazs Ujvari clarifying the Commission's role in content moderation.

"The decision resides with the platforms; we simply coordinate and bring the actors together," stated EU spokesperson Balazs Ujvari. He explained that the platforms receive better information from fact-checkers to identify harmful disinformation, such as false reports of mass border crossings. This collaboration aims to help platforms better enforce their own rules.

In essence, we are helping them through this platform also to better enforce their own rules.

— Balazs UjvariEU spokesperson Balazs Ujvari describing the benefit of the cooperation for platforms.

The Commission held its first meeting with platforms and verifiers last Friday and plans another session focused on the Ceuta situation. While Spain has not formally requested additional digital support, the Commission remains open to offering more assistance under the DSA framework if needed. TikTok has deployed a special security team to monitor emerging threats and misleading behavior in real-time, though it has not confirmed any covert influence operations related to Ceuta.

We had a constructive conversation on how to avoid these very dangerous and illegal journeys, as well as the tragic loss of human lives.

— Henna VirkkunenExecutive Vice-President of the European Commission Henna Virkkunen describing her discussion with the Spanish Minister.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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