BRUSSELS: Google, Meta and other online service providers will be required to find and remove online child pornography under proposed European Commission rules, a move some privacy groups say could put people’s communications at risk.
Companies that fail to comply with the rules face fines up to 6 percent of their annual income or global turnover, which will be set by EU countries.
The EU executive said its proposal announced on Wednesday aimed to replace the current system of voluntary detection and reporting by companies which has proven to be insufficient to protect children.
It cited the more than one million reports of child sexual abuse in the 27-country bloc in 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic a factor in the 64 percent rise in such reports in 2021 compared to the previous year. On top of that, 60 percent of child sexual abuse material worldwide is hosted on EU servers.
“The proposed rules introduce an obligation for relevant online service providers to assess the risk of their services’ misuse for the dissemination of child sexual abuse materials or for the solicitation of children (grooming),” the Commission said in a statement.
The companies will then have to report and remove known and new images and videos, as well as cases of grooming. An EU Center on Child Sexual Abuse will be set up to act as a hub of expertise and to forward reports to the police.
The rules will apply to hosting services and interpersonal communication services such as messaging services, app stores and Internet access providers.
The Commission’s proposal could endanger end-to-end encryption and open the door to authoritarian surveillance tactics, lobbying group European Digital Rights said.
Meta subsidiary WhatsApp echoed the same concerns.
“Incredibly disappointing to see a proposed EU regulation on the Internet fail to protect end-to-end encryption,” Will Cathcart, WhatsApp head, said in a tweet.
“It’s important that any measures adopted do not undermine end-to-end encryption which protects the safety and privacy of billions of people, including children,” a Meta spokesperson said.
The draft EU rules need to be thrashed out with EU countries and EU lawmakers before they can become law.
Google, Meta must find and remove online child pornography under EU draft rules
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Google, Meta must find and remove online child pornography under EU draft rules
- Google, Meta and other online service providers will be required to find and remove online child pornography under proposed European Commission rules
Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC
- Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month
RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.
The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience.
Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.
“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”
With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.
The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.
Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”
The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”
Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”
He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”
