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EU increases pressure on tech companies to change their user terms

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The logo of the social network giant Facebook is seen on a beach in Cannes, France. The EU is increasing pressure on Facebook and other tech firms such as Google regarding their user terms. Photo: Reuters
Reuters

European Union authorities have increased pressure on Facebook, Google and Twitter to amend their user terms to bring them in line with EU law after proposals submitted by the tech giants were considered insufficient.

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The European Commission and consumer protection authorities in the bloc wrote to the three companies in June, asking them to improve their proposed changes to user terms by the end of September, according to letters sent to the companies and seen by Reuters on Monday.

The authorities have the power to issue fines if the companies fail to comply.

Representatives of Facebook and Twitter did not respond immediately to emailed requests for comment and a Google spokesman declined to make immediate comment.

The authorities’ concerns centre mainly on procedures the social media companies proposed to set up for the removal of illegal content on their websites, terms limiting their liability and terms allowing them unilaterally to remove content posted by users.

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Google’s office is lit up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Google , Facebook and Twitter face increasing pressure from EU authorities to change the terms given to their users. Photo: Reuters
Google’s office is lit up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Google , Facebook and Twitter face increasing pressure from EU authorities to change the terms given to their users. Photo: Reuters

The US trio were given until July 20 to submit new proposals, which need to be implemented by the end of September, the letters said.

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