Meta, Google, TikTok and X have promised European lawmakers to do more to prevent and remove illegal hate speech on their platforms. On Monday, the European Commission included a revised set of voluntary commitments in the Digital Services Act (DSA) that aim to help platforms “demonstrate their compliance” with the DSA’s obligations to moderate illegal content.
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, X, YouTube, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Dailymotion, Jeuxvideo.com, Rakuten Viber, and consumer services hosted on the Microsoft platform have signed the “Code of Conduct for Combating Illegal Hate Speech Online Plus” – not the horribly named streaming service, but an update to the 2016 Code. The revised code commits signatories to ensuring transparency in identifying and mitigating hate speech, allowing third-party monitors to assess how platforms handle hate speech reports, and addressing “at least two-thirds of hate speech reports” within 24 hours.
“Hatred and polarization threaten EU values and fundamental rights and undermine the stability of our democracies. The Internet amplifies the negative effects of hate speech,” EU Commissioner Michael McGrath said in a statement. “We believe that this Code of Conduct+ will contribute to ensuring an effective response.”
The EU Codes of Conduct are voluntary commitments, and companies do not face any sanctions if they decide to withdraw from the agreement, as Elon Musk did with Company X (then known as Twitter) in 2022 when he withdrew the company from the Code of Practice on Disinformation.
