TikTok, X, Meta exposed to terrorist content: Irish regulator

TikTok, X and Meta need to take measures to make sure that their platforms are not being used to disseminate terrorist content, the Irish media regulator Coimisiún na Meán has said in a statement.

The decision came after the regulator received several notifications of removal orders to these providers from EU authorities in the last year under the Terrorist Content Online Regulation.

Following the Irish decision, TikTok, X and Meta’s Instagram will have to take specific measures to protect their services from being used for the dissemination of terrorist content — such as content that glorifies terrorist acts — and to report back to Coimisiún na Meán within three months.

The Irish watchdog can, in case of non compliance, impose an administrative fine of up to four percent of the company’s global turnover.

Besides the Terrorist Content Online rules, the regulator also oversees the Digital Services Act (DSA), and the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act in Ireland. 

Under the DSA, some of the platforms have already been subject to formal questions and investigations by the European Commission. It opened probes against X last December on suspicion that the platform was spreading illegal content and disinformation, particularly terrorist and violent content in the context of the Israel-Hamas war. 

Last month, Ireland adopted its new online safety code for video-sharing platforms such as TikTok and Facebook to protect people from harmful internet content. It sets binding rules on platforms with their European headquarters in Ireland and will apply from this month.