The European Commission has urged Meta and TikTok to take stronger action against disinformation during emergencies after a deadly surge of migrants into Spain’s North African territory of Ceuta.
EU Commissioner for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen said the commission held discussions with both technology companies on Friday following the incident, in which false information circulating online reportedly contributed to a mass movement of people toward the border.
“Platforms must act decisively in keeping the integrity of the digital space, in particular during crisis situations,” Virkkunen said.
She called for increased monitoring of social media activity and closer cooperation between online platforms and fact-checking organisations. The commission is expected to review developments again on Monday.
The incident took place on July 30 and 31, when tens of thousands of people attempted to enter Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco after a rumour spread online claiming that the border was open.
Spanish authorities said about 72,000 people entered the enclave during the two-day episode. By Tuesday, all but around 2,000 had returned to Morocco. Officials reported that 80 people died during the crossings.
The episode has triggered political tensions over migration and raised fresh concerns about the role of social media in rapidly spreading false claims during sensitive situations.
Right-wing political groups have used the incident to argue that Europe is facing uncontrolled migration. The developments have also contributed to a diplomatic dispute between Spain and Italy, whose government has adopted a tougher position on migration.
EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner described the Ceuta episode as a test of the bloc’s border controls and its ability to withstand disinformation.
Brunner said the movement had been driven by criminal smuggling networks as well as false information circulating online. He cautioned that it remained too early to determine who was responsible for the online activity, including whether it was linked to smugglers or a foreign government such as Russia.
He said the European Union needed to improve its ability to monitor misinformation trends across social media platforms while working with Europol and other EU agencies.
An open-source investigation by technology company Golden Owl concluded with a high degree of confidence that the migrant movement was a deliberately organised operation.
The findings have added to pressure on social media companies to improve their response to misleading information during rapidly developing events.
The European Commission’s discussions with Meta and TikTok come as EU authorities seek greater accountability from major technology platforms over the spread of harmful and misleading content. Officials are particularly concerned about situations where false information can influence public behaviour and contribute to risks involving public safety.
Meta, Google and TikTok also work with media organisations, including AFP, through programmes aimed at identifying and addressing disinformation online.
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