Meta, TikTok agree to EU fact-checking plan over Ceuta disinformation

Social media platforms including Meta and TikTok have agreed to the European Union fact-checking plan, aimed at curbing disinformation especially during the crises.

The collaboration comes after the Ceuta crisis when thousands of people entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco late last month. It was reported that rumours and false information propagated through the social media forced the people to put their lives at danger during the border crisis.

According to the European Union tech chief Henna Virkkunen, the purpose of this collaboration over fact-checking to prevent criminal network form “enticing potential migrants to attempt ​to cross with false information, which has led ⁠to tragic deaths.”

As a result, Meta and TikTok agreed with ​the EU to set up an "ad-hoc escalation and cooperation mechanism with fact-checkers" as part of crisis protocols, according to the ​post on X.

“We will continue to be vigilant in our work with our agencies and the platforms to stifle criminal networks selling false promises, at the cost of lives,” she added.

According to Virkkunen, she also spoke with Oscar Lopez, the Spanish minister for digital economy, discussing how to prevent border crossing and the loss of lives.

On July 30, more than 70,000 people moved to Ceuta in a mass rush that left nearly 100 people dead, prompting the authorities to deploy the forces to deal with the migrant crisis.

Later it was found that the viral videos of successful crossing encouraged more people to enter Ceuta.