Brussels, 14 February 2024
Today, the Commission has adopted a report on the implementation of the Regulation to address the dissemination of terrorist content online.
Terrorists exploit internet platforms to spread their messages and to intimidate, radicalise, recruit and facilitate the carrying out of terrorist attacks.
To counter this threat, the EU adopted new rules, which entered into application on 7 June 2022. These rules require that terrorist content in the EU is taken down by online platforms within one hour upon receipt of a removal order issued by Member States’ authorities. This helps to counter the spread of extremist ideologies online – which is key for preventing attacks and addressing radicalisation – while safeguarding fundamental rights.
The report assesses the application of the Regulation by Member States and hosting service providers and the impact it has had so far in addressing the dissemination of terrorist content online. The report takes into account the impact of the situation in the Middle East on the online threat landscape until 31 December 2023.
In its assessment, the Commission concludes that the Regulation has been effective in preventing the spread of terrorist content online. So far, twenty-three Member States have designated competent authorities with the power to issue removal orders and approximately 350 removal orders have been issued since June 2022.
The Commission will continue to support Member States and online platforms, including through technical workshops, to ensure the full and swift application of the Regulation.
Source – EU Commission