Facebook, YouTube, Twitter To Face Same EU Rules As Broadcasters

Facebook, Alphabet-owned YouTube, Twitter and other social media will for the first time be subject to EU broadcasting rules on hate speech and harmful content under European Commission guidelines announced on Thursday.

The amendments to the Audiovisual Media Services Directive adopted in 2018 came in part from lobbying by broadcasters who wanted online platforms to have the same obligations as traditional media companies.

“Online players will have to ensure, in a similar way to traditional media players, that users are protected against hate speech and that minors are protected from harmful content,” the Commission said. Reuters