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EU demands 1-hour removal of terrorist content from social media platforms

Online platforms such as Facebook Inc., Twitter Inc. and YouTube owner Alphabet Inc. have been ordered to remove terrorist content within one hour of being notified, according to a set of new recommendations by the European Commission.

The EU authority urged internet giants last year to adopt more proactive measures to prevent, detect and remove online illegal content inciting hatred, violence, abuse and terrorism. The most recent recommendations, published March 1, aim to "step up and speed up" the efforts of companies and European Union member states to tackle illegal content, according to a statement.

In addition to removing terrorist content within one hour, online content providers will also be required to accelerate the use of automated detection technology and to improve their referral systems for reporting illegal content.

"Online platforms are becoming people's main gateway to information, so they have a responsibility to provide a secure environment for their users," The Commission's Vice President for the Digital Single Market, Andrus Ansip, said in a statement.

"While several platforms have been removing more illegal content than ever before showing that self-regulation can work we still need to react faster against terrorist propaganda and other illegal content which is a serious threat to our citizens' security, safety and fundamental rights," he added.

Internet rights activists, however, have challenged the new objectives.

Advocacy group European Digital Rights, or EDRi, warned against the Commission's position on tackling illegal content online, arguing that it would enable internet companies to regulate free speech in Europe.

"The European Commission is pushing 'voluntary' censorship to internet giants to avoid legislation that would be subject to democratic scrutiny and judicial challenge," said Joe McNamee, executive director at EDRi.

Campaigners also fear an over-reliance on automated tools with limited ability to provide nuanced analysts of human communication, including to detect intent or motivation of the speaker.

As it stands, Emma Llansó, director of the Center for Democracy & Technology, said the EU objectives would "sever the public's ability to hold the government to account for declaring certain speech off-limits."

"This is absolutely the wrong direction for democratic societies that value the rule of law," she added.

Internet firms and EU member states now have three months to deliver on the Commission's objectives regarding terrorist content, and another six months for all other illegal content, the statement said.

The Commission added it would closely monitor the impact of its objectives before determining whether further steps, including legislative measures, will be required.