Meta, TikTok agree to EU Ceuta fact-checking plan

Meta and TikTok have agreed to voluntary steps to boost fact-checking of harmful disinformation linked to the Ceuta migrant rush, the European Union said Tuesday.

The European Commission said it had increased coordination with the platforms and Europol, the European police agency, after talks on Friday and Monday. It said an ad-hoc escalation and cooperation mechanism would help the platforms work with local fact-checkers during crises.

"For now, we think that this is an effective tool. But of course, if needed, we are ready to go further," Commission spokesman Balazs Ujvari told reporters.

Ujvari said the mechanism was launched voluntarily under the EU's Digital Services Act, its online content rules. He said it was intended to help platforms receive better information from fact-checkers flagging harmful disinformation, including content related to a potential new mass border crossing.

The talks followed the movement of large numbers of people from Morocco into Ceuta, Spain's North African territory, in late July. Spanish government figures previously said about 72,000 people entered the enclave and that about 70,000 had returned to Morocco. Spanish authorities said at least 80 people died on the Spanish side of the frontier, many while trying to swim around a barrier in the Mediterranean Sea. Morocco has said 11 people died on its side of the border.

Experts cited by AFP say social media disinformation helped drive the rush, including a rumour that "the Ceuta border is open".

Meta said a team was monitoring the situation in Ceuta in real time and removing content that violates its policies, including content offering to provide, facilitate or seek human smuggling services.

TikTok said it had strict rules against content that encourages or enables human smuggling and illegal border crossings. It said it was working with journalism and fact-checking organisation Newtral in Spain and MapExpress in Morocco during rapidly evolving situations.