Migration crisis hasn't yet led to dialled up action to tackle online disinformation risks
EU countries haven’t triggered a mechanism in the Digital Services Act (DSA) that could dial up action on social media disinformation campaigns linked to the Ceuta migration crisis, a Commission spokesperson said on Thursday.
Under the bloc’s online governance rulebook, large social media platforms – such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X – are responsible for assessing systemic risks on their platforms, including risks to public security or safety, and must take steps to mitigate them – an obligation the Commission reiterated during its daily briefing to journalists.
Tens of thousands of people swam across the Spanish border with Morocco into Ceuta on 30 July, leading to 141 deaths according to local media SER.
Online disinformation campaigns appear to have encouraged migrants to attempt the crossing, drawing attention to how major tech platforms may have fuelled the crisis.
