{"id":1504,"date":"2018-11-21T02:08:34","date_gmt":"2018-11-21T10:08:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/?p=1504"},"modified":"2018-11-21T02:08:34","modified_gmt":"2018-11-21T10:08:34","slug":"the-eu-terrorist-content-regulation-a-threat-to-the-ecosystem-and-our-users-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/2018\/11\/21\/the-eu-terrorist-content-regulation-a-threat-to-the-ecosystem-and-our-users-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"The EU Terrorist Content Regulation – a threat to the ecosystem and our users\u2019 rights"},"content":{"rendered":"

In September the European Commission proposed a new regulation that seeks to tackle the spread of \u2018terrorist\u2019 content on the internet.<\/b> As we\u2019ve noted already<\/b><\/a>, the Commission\u2019s proposal would seriously undermine internet health in Europe, by forcing companies to aggressively suppress user speech with limited due process and user rights safeguards. Here we unpack the proposal\u2019s shortfalls, and explain how we\u2019ll be engaging on it to protect our users and the internet ecosystem. \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

As we\u2019ve highlighted<\/a> before, illegal content is symptomatic of an unhealthy internet ecosystem, and addressing it is something that we care deeply about. To that end, we recently adopted an addendum to our Manifesto<\/a>, in which we affirmed our commitment to an internet that promotes civil discourse, human dignity, and individual expression. The issue is also at the heart of our recently published Internet Health Report<\/a>, through its dedicated section on digital inclusion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At the same time lawmakers in Europe have made online safety a major political priority, and the Terrorist Content regulation is the latest legislative initiative designed to tackle illegal and harmful content on the internet. Yet, while terrorist acts and terrorist content are serious issues, the response that the European Commission is putting forward with this legislative proposal is unfortunately ill-conceived, and will have many unintended consequences. Rather than creating a safer internet for European citizens and combating the serious threat of terrorism in all its guises, this proposal would undermine due process online; compel the use of ineffective content filters; strengthen the position of a few dominant platforms while hampering European competitors; and, ultimately, violate the EU\u2019s commitment to protecting fundamental rights.<\/p>\n

Many elements from the proposal are worrying, including:<\/p>\n