Communication on ‘Tackling illegal content online: towards an enhanced responsibility of online platforms’

Background and further information:

The Communication concerns the removal of illegal content online – incitement to terrorism, illegal hate speech, or child sexual abuse material, as well as infringements of Intellectual Property rights and consumer protection online. These guidelines aim to facilitate and intensify the implementation of good practices for preventing, detecting, removing and disabling access to illegal content so as to ensure the effective removal of illegal content, increased transparency and the protection of fundamental rights online.

The publishing of guidance on illegal content removal had been announced by the European Commission during the mid-term review of its Digital Single Market strategy.

The European Commission published on 28 September 2017 a Communication laying down a set of guidelines and principles for online platforms to step up the fight against illegal content online.

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Communication: IP/17/3493, 28.09.17: Commission steps up efforts to tackle illegal content online http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-3493_en.htm

European Commission: DG Communication: MEMO/17/3522, 28.09.17: Stepping up the EU's efforts to tackle illegal content online http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-17-3522_en.htm

The Guardian, 28.09.17: EU justice commissioner resists calls for legislation on online hate speech https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/28/eu-justice-commissioner-resists-calls-for-legislation-on-online-hate-speech

Reuters, 28.09.17: EU pressures internet giants to remove illegal content sooner https://in.reuters.com/article/idINKCN1C32GF

Jurist: Paper Chase, 29.09.17: European Commission releases guidelines for detecting and removing illegal content online http://www.jurist.org/paperchase/2017/09/european-commission-releases-guidelines-for-detecting-and-removing-illegal-content-online.php

EUObserver, 28.09.17: EU wants tech firms to police internet https://euobserver.com/justice/139203

Bloomberg, 28.09.17: European Commission Demands Internet Firms Do More on Terror https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-28/european-commission-demands-social-media-tackle-illegal-content

EurActiv, 28.09.17: Tougher EU hate speech guidelines urge tech giants to prevent ‘digital Wild West’ https://www.euractiv.com/section/freedom-of-thought/news/tougher-eu-hate-speech-guidelines-urge-tech-giants-to-prevent-digital-wild-west/

Politico, 20.09.17: Europe struggles to find united front to combat illegal content online http://www.politico.eu/article/europe-hate-speech-jihad-terrorist-propaganda-theresa-may-google-facebook/

---