Any hosting service provider* offering their services in the European Union must now take active steps to remove terrorist content on their platforms.

The providers have one hour to remove content once there are alerted by authorities. These ‘competent authorities’ include judicial, administrative, or law enforcement bodies appointed by EU Member States.

The new EU rules aim to disrupt terrorist use of the internet and the dissemination of terrorist content online. Terrorists and violent extremists use the internet to spread to recruit, incite and solicit terrorist acts.

Internet platforms that do not systematically comply with the rules are liable to be fined up to 4% of their global turnover.

The new regulations apply to all companies who offer their services within the European Union, irrespective of whether they are headquartered in one of the member states.

This covers hosting service providers storing information provided by and at the request of a user in the EU.