Google, YouTube, Facebook Inc, Twitter Inc and other Internet companies must show the EU within three months that they are removing extremist content more rapidly or face legislation forcing them to do so.
Several governments have increased pressure on social media companies to do more to remove illegal content — from material related to groups such as Islamic State and incitement to commit atrocities — and the sector has increased efforts to demonstrate its progress.
However, in its strongest call yet to the technology sector, the European Commission on Thursday recommended measures that Internet platforms should take to stop the proliferation of extremist content, including the removal of such material within an hour of being notified of its existence.
European governments have said that extremist content on the Web has influenced lone-wolf attackers who have killed people in several European cities after being radicalized.
“While several platforms have been removing more illegal content than ever before ... we still need to react faster against terrorist propaganda and other illegal content which is a serious threat to our citizens’ security, safety and fundamental rights,” European Commissioner for Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip said in a statement.
European online trade association EDiMA, whose members include Google, Facebook and Twitter, said it was dismayed the commission had not first chosen to engage in dialogue.
A one-hour turnaround time might also not be workable, it said.
The recommendation, which is nonbinding, but could be taken into account by European courts, sets guidelines on how companies should remove illegal content generally — from copyright infringements to hate speech — and advises a quicker reaction to extremist material.
The commission said it would assess the need for legislation within three months for what it described as “terrorist content,” given the urgency of the issue.
For all other types of illegal content it will assess progress made within six months.
It also called on the technology sector, which is dominated by US companies, to adopt proactive measures, such as automated detection to rid their platforms of illegal content.
Campaign group the Counter Extremism Project said the commission’s proposal was welcome, but did not tackle two issues — how to make automated technology widely available and how to stop extremists uploading again content that had been removed.
Civil rights group European Digital Rights described the commission’s approach as putting Internet giants in charge of censoring Europe.
Only legislation would ensure democratic scrutiny and judicial review, it said.
Luxury groups welcomed the commission’s move, saying action by online platforms is also necessary to fight the sale of counterfeit goods online.
“Proactive measures coupled with good consumer information is the only way to effectively deal with illegal content online,” LVMH group managing director Toni Belloni said.
UNCERTAINTY: Innolux activated a stringent supply chain management mechanism, as it did during the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure optimal inventory levels for customers Flat-panel display makers AUO Corp (友達) and Innolux Corp (群創) yesterday said that about 12 to 20 percent of their display business is at risk of potential US tariffs and that they would relocate production or shipment destinations to mitigate the levies’ effects. US tariffs would have a direct impact of US$200 million on AUO’s revenue, company chairman Paul Peng (彭雙浪) told reporters on the sidelines of the Touch Taiwan trade show in Taipei yesterday. That would make up about 12 percent of the company’s overall revenue. To cope with the tariff uncertainty, AUO plans to allocate its production to manufacturing facilities in
TAKING STOCK: A Taiwanese cookware firm in Vietnam urged customers to assess inventory or place orders early so shipments can reach the US while tariffs are paused Taiwanese businesses in Vietnam are exploring alternatives after the White House imposed a 46 percent import duty on Vietnamese goods, following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of “reciprocal” tariffs on the US’ trading partners. Lo Shih-liang (羅世良), chairman of Brico Industry Co (裕茂工業), a Taiwanese company that manufactures cast iron cookware and stove components in Vietnam, said that more than 40 percent of his business was tied to the US market, describing the constant US policy shifts as an emotional roller coaster. “I work during the day and stay up all night watching the news. I’ve been following US news until 3am
Taiwan will prioritize the development of silicon photonics by taking advantage of its strength in the semiconductor industry to build another shield to protect the local economy, National Development Council (NDC) Minister Paul Liu (劉鏡清) said yesterday. Speaking at a meeting of the legislature’s Economics Committee, Liu said Taiwan already has the artificial intelligence (AI) industry as a shield, after the semiconductor industry, to safeguard the country, and is looking at new unique fields to build more economic shields. While Taiwan will further strengthen its existing shields, over the longer term, the country is determined to focus on such potential segments as
COLLABORATION: Given Taiwan’s key position in global supply chains, the US firm is discussing strategies with local partners and clients to deal with global uncertainties Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) yesterday said it is meeting with local ecosystem partners, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), to discuss strategies, including long-term manufacturing, to navigate uncertainties such as US tariffs, as Taiwan occupies an important position in global supply chains. AMD chief executive officer Lisa Su (蘇姿丰) told reporters that Taiwan is an important part of the chip designer’s ecosystem and she is discussing with partners and customers in Taiwan to forge strong collaborations on different areas during this critical period. AMD has just become the first artificial-intelligence (AI) server chip customer of TSMC to utilize its advanced
RSS