European Commissioner Henna Virkkunen called on Meta and TikTok on Friday to act decisively against social media disinformation following a massive migrant influx into Ceuta.
Virkkunen, who oversees technological sovereignty, security and democracy, said the European Commission held talks with both tech platforms. The discussions focused on online rumors that contributed to tens of thousands of people attempting to enter the Spanish territory in North Africa, including a viral claim that the border was open.
The commissioner said platforms must preserve digital integrity during crisis situations. She called for strengthened monitoring and closer cooperation with fact-checkers, adding that the European Union will review the situation on Monday.
Border crisis and casualties
Updated figures from Spanish authorities show that about 72,000 people entered the autonomous city of Ceuta in a single 24-hour period last week. Around 70,000 of those individuals have since returned to Morocco.
At least 82 people died while attempting to reach Ceuta by swimming. Local officials completed autopsies on all 82 bodies and identified six of the deceased.
Following the crisis, authorities in Ceuta established a specialized office to help locate missing persons.
Meanwhile, online messages calling for another border crossing have begun circulating with a new date indicated.
Disinformation and investigation
European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner described the event as a test for European border security and resilience against false information. Brunner said criminal networks of illegal organizers and online disinformation fueled the mass movement across the border.
Brunner noted it was too late to confirm whether human traffickers or a foreign power such as Russia organized the digital campaign. However, he warned that the bloc must expand its ability to track online disinformation alongside Europol and other European Union agencies.
An open-source investigation by tech company Golden Owl concluded with high confidence that the migrant influx was a deliberately organized operation.
Political fallout and minor care
Ceuta is a territory of 80,000 inhabitants located at the northern tip of Morocco along the Strait of Gibraltar. Along with Melilla, it forms one of only two land borders between Africa and Europe.
The border influx triggered diplomatic friction between Spain and Italy, which advocates a strict migration policy. Political figures on the right and far right pointed to the events as evidence of migration chaos in Europe.
More than 800 minors who crossed into Ceuta are expected to remain in Spain. Political groups on the right have demanded their repatriation.
