The migration crisis in Ceuta has become yet another test for European internet regulations. In late July and early August, tens of thousands of Moroccans set off towards the Spanish enclave after reports began circulating on social media that the border was open. Posts on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram included, amongst other things, route guidance and misinterpretations of Spanish regulations.
However, there is no evidence that the platforms themselves caused the crisis, nor that the wave of content was the result of a single coordinated operation. Sources also point to the economic difficulties faced by young Moroccans and the activities of smugglers.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for technological sovereignty, security and democracy, following discussions with Meta and TikTok, called on the platforms to monitor content more effectively and to cooperate more extensively with fact-checkers.
For tech companies, this means growing regulatory pressure. The Digital Services Act requires the largest platforms to assess and mitigate systemic risks. Breaches of the regulations could result in a fine of up to 6 per cent of global annual turnover.
The Ceuta case forms part of a wider debate on Europe’s digital dependence. In a July YouGov survey for *Welt am Sonntag*, 66 per cent of Germans considered the influence of US tech giants to be too great. At the same time, 66.1 per cent of German marketing decision-makers surveyed stated that their companies’ performance depends on Big Tech platforms.
Europe wants to exercise greater control over Big Tech, but its economy remains heavily dependent on these companies. Ceuta could accelerate the oversight of algorithms and crisis response procedures, whilst simultaneously increasing regulatory costs for the platforms.
