EU's Urgent Warning to Google and YouTube: Unveiling Alarming Hamas-Israel Disinformation and Disturbing Content

The European Commission issued a warning to Google and its subsidiary YouTube on Friday regarding disinformation and graphic content associated with the Hamas-Israel conflict. This action is part of the European Union's ongoing examination of how Big Tech companies are managing the war. European Commissioner Thierry Breton penned a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, reminding them of their responsibilities in content moderation as outlined in the EUs Digital Services Act (DSA). Breton made the letter publicly available on X.

Breton emphasized that Google has a responsibility to adhere to legal obligations regarding graphic content to protect underage users. Additionally, Google is expected to promptly respond to authorities' notifications of European law violations and take measures to combat disinformation. Breton referred to their previous discussion in Brussels in May, highlighting the significance of addressing disinformation during upcoming elections in several EU nations.

If a future investigation finds Google (GOOGL) to be non-compliant with the DSA, potential penalties may apply. Breton has issued similar warnings this week to X (formerly Twitter), as well as Meta and TikTok.

Unlike previous letters, Breton's letter to Google does not explicitly accuse the company of disseminating deceptive or illicit content. Additionally, while Breton urged prompt responses from Google's counterparts in some of his previous letters, the letter sent on Friday merely requests a promptly delivered, accurate, and comprehensive report from Google.

In acknowledgment, Ivy Choi, a spokeswoman for YouTube, stated that the company has been actively engaged in removing offensive videos.

"We have taken extensive measures to address the distressing attacks on civilians in Israel and the escalating conflict between Israel and Gaza. Our dedicated teams have successfully eliminated numerous harmful videos, and our robust systems consistently provide users with reliable news and information," Choi stated. "Our teams are tirelessly monitoring for any footage that may be harmful and are committed to swiftly taking decisive action across YouTube, including videos, Shorts, and livestreams."

YouTube previously informed CNN that its dedicated teams have already removed a substantial number of videos since the onset of Hamas attacks on Israel. Additionally, the platform continues to actively monitor for hate speech, extremism, graphic imagery, and other content that violates its policies.

According to CNNs own review of the platform, YouTube is also surfacing almost entirely videos from mainstream news organizations in searches related to the war.