Brussels: The European Commission has called on major social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, and X, to participate in a “stress test” aimed at evaluating their measures to counter disinformation ahead of Germany’s national election next month, an EU spokesperson announced on Friday.
The test, scheduled for January 31, will involve platforms like Microsoft, TikTok, LinkedIn, Google, Snap, Facebook-owner Meta, and X. It is designed to assess their preparedness in mitigating risks as mandated by the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
Testing Safeguards Against Disinformation
“The stress test involves simulating potential scenarios where the DSA would come into play, checking how platforms would respond to specific challenges,” EU spokesperson Thomas Regnier explained during a press briefing.
A TikTok representative confirmed the company’s participation in the meeting, while Meta, Snap, Google-owner Alphabet, X, Microsoft, and LinkedIn have yet to comment.
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Senior compliance officers and other specialists responsible for DSA implementation have been invited to join the test. According to a senior European Commission official, the exercise will take place in collaboration with German authorities and will be conducted behind closed doors.
Building on Prior Success
This marks the first stress test conducted for a national election, following a similar exercise held before the European Parliament elections last year. “That initiative was very successful, and there is a shared commitment to work closely with German authorities this time,” Regnier said.
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The DSA, a groundbreaking piece of EU legislation, holds tech companies accountable for addressing harmful content, disinformation, and other risks on their platforms. This test will evaluate their ability to enforce these regulations in real-world election scenarios.
