The European Commission has sent a warning letter to Google and its subsidiary YouTube over disinformation and graphic content linked to the Hamas-Israel conflict. The letter reminded the company about its content moderation obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The EU is concerned about the spread of false information and illegal content. It has been warning social media companies to step up policing of their platforms for such content. In a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, EU Commissioner, Thierry Breton reminded them of the EU Content moderation obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The EU’s Warning to YouTube and Google
The European Commission sent a warning letter to Google and YouTube over disinformation and graphic content linked to the Hamas-Israel conflict. The letter reminded the company about its content moderation obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The EU is concerned about the spread of false information and illegal content, and it has been warning social media companies to step up policing of their platforms for such content.
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YouTube’s Obligations under the DSA
YouTube has several obligations under the DSA. These include:
– Content Moderation: YouTube must keep graphic content such as hostage videos away from underage users and act swiftly when authorities flag content that violates European laws.
– Tackling Disinformation: YouTube must mitigate disinformation and tackle it in the context of elections.
– Reporting: The European Commission has requested a report from YouTube “in a prompt, accurate and complete manner”.
Conclusion
The EU’s warning to YouTube and Google highlights the importance of content moderation and tackling disinformation. YouTube has several obligations under the DSA, and it must comply with these obligations to avoid penalties. The EU is taking a tough stance on social media companies that fail to comply with its regulations. It is likely that we will see more warnings and probes in the future.
