A top EU official for digital policy warned on Monday that big tech companies could face tougher rules and penalties in the European Union if they failed to adequately curb hate speech and disinformation.

"Online platforms, and in particular its society, now have ... an obvious responsibility towards our fellow citizens, towards all of us, towards those who are users of its society, and also towards democracy," EU commissioner Thierry Breton said after a meeting with his colleague Margrethe Vestager and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Zuckerberg was in Brussels urging EU officials to not go too far in punishing platforms for carrying "hate speech."

"If all the platforms operating on the European continent do not respect the conditions that I have just outlined, yes, we will be forced to intervene in a stricter way," Breton said.

These new rules "can be binding to avoid this kind of abuse, because it is abusive, when totally illegal content is massively disseminated to our fellow citizens," the former French finance minister added.

A proposal for a Digital Services Act could carry real consequences for companies like Facebook that had so far self-regulated.

Vestager, the EU's executive vice president, is expected to announce plans within days to set up a single EU data market aimed at reining in the dominance of US tech giants and Chinese rivals.

The EU commissioners will also propose rules to govern the use of artificial intelligence.

Read more: Facebook's Twitter accounts hacked, OurMine claims responsibility

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Free speech or illegal content? Whether hate speech, propaganda or activism, governments across the globe have upped efforts to curb content deemed illegal from circulating on social networks. From drawn-out court cases to blanket bans, DW examines how some countries try to stop the circulation of illicit content while others attempt to regulate social media.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Social media law After a public debate in Germany, a new law on social media came into effect in October. The legislation imposes heavy fines on social media companies, such as Facebook, for failing to take down posts containing hate speech. Facebook and other social media companies have complained about the law, saying that harsh rules might lead to unnecessary censorship.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Right to be forgotten In 2014, the European Court of Justice ruled that European citizens had the right to request search engines, such as Google and Bing, remove "inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive" search results linked to their name. Although Google has complied with the ruling, it has done so reluctantly, warning that it could make the internet as "free as the world's least free place."

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Blanket ban In May 2017, Ukraine imposed sanctions on Russian social media platforms and web services. The blanket ban affected millions of Ukrainian citizens, many of whom were anxious about their data. The move prompted young Ukrainians to protest on the streets, calling for the government to reinstate access to platforms that included VKontakte (VK), Russia's largest social network.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Safe Harbor In 2015, the European Court of Justice ruled that Safe Harbor, a 15-year-old pact between the US and EU that allowed the transfer of personal data without prior approval, was effectively invalid. Austrian law student Max Schrems launched the legal proceedings against Facebook in response to revelations made by former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, Edward Snowden.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Regulation In China, the use of social media is highly regulated by the government. Beijing has effectively blocked access to thousands of websites and platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Instead, China offers its citizens access to local social media platforms, such as Weibo and WeChat, which boast hundreds of millions of monthly users.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Twitter bans Russia-linked accounts Many politicians and media outlets blame Russia's influence for Donald Trump's election victory in 2016. Moscow reportedly used Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Instagram to shape public opinion on key issues. In October 2017, Twitter suspended over 2,750 accounts due to alleged Russian propaganda. The platform also banned ads from RT (formerly Russia Today) and the Sputnik news agency.

Fighting for the internet: Social media, governments and tech companies Facebook announces propaganda-linked tool With social media under pressure for allowing alleged Russian meddling, Facebook announced a new project to combat such efforts in November 2017. The upcoming page will give users a chance to check if they "liked" or followed an alleged propaganda account on Facebook or Instagram. Meanwhile, Facebook has come under fire for not protecting user data in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Author: Lewis Sanders IV (dj)



'Treat us like a telcom'

Online content should be regulated with a system somewhere between the existing rules used for the telecoms and media industries, Zuckerberg told global leaders gathered at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

Facebook — which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp — is already in Vestager's crosshairs over its use of data collected by the company from classified ads players and its right to use their data for any purpose including launching competing products.

Zuckerberg: Online content should be regulated with a system somewhere between the existing rules used for the telecoms and media industries

Last week, Facebook delayed the EU launch of a dating app because of the bloc's data protection rules. The app has already been launched in the US and to some users in Asia.

The European Union introduced the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018 to give people more control over their privacy settings.

Under the GDPR, regulators can fine companies up to €20 million ($21.67 million), or 4% of global turnover, whichever is higher, for any breaches.

Read more: Munich Security Conference: Social media giants put fair elections under threat

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