BRUSSELS (AP) — European authorities are planning to slap internet companies like Google and Facebook with big fines if they don’t take down extremist content within one hour.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a speech Wednesday that the Commission is proposing the new rules as part of efforts to step up the bloc’s security.
He said that removing material within an hour is important because it’s “the critical window in which the greatest damage is done.”
The EU’s executive body said extremist material “that prepares, incites or glorifies acts of terrorism” must be taken offline. Content would be flagged up by national authorities, who would issue removal orders to the internet companies hosting it. Those companies would be given one hour to delete it.
