BRUSSELS - The EU announced probes into Facebook owner Meta and TikTok, seeking more details on the measures they have taken to stop the spread of "illegal content and disinformation" after the Hamas attack on Israel.
The European Commission said it had sent formal requests for information to Meta and TikTok respectively in what is a first procedure launched under the EU's new law on digital content.
The EU launched a similar probe into billionaire mogul Elon Musk's social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, last week.
The commission said the request to Meta related "to the dissemination and amplification of illegal content and disinformation" around the Hamas-Israel conflict.
In a separate statement, it said it wanted to know more about TikTok's efforts against "the spreading of terrorist and violent content and hate speech".
The EU's executive arm added that it wanted more information from Meta on its "mitigation measures to protect the integrity of elections".
Meta and TikTok have until October 25 to respond, with a deadline of November 8 for less urgent aspects of the demand for information.
The commission said it also sought more details about how TikTok was complying with rules on protecting minors online.
Meta insisted it was addressing the issues raised.
"Our teams are working around the clock to keep our platforms safe, take action on content that violates our policies or local law, and coordinate with third-party fact checkers in the region to limit the spread of misinformation," a Meta spokesman said.
Meta would be happy to provide further information to the commission, he added.
TikTok said it was reviewing Brussels' request and would publish a report next week with "more information about our ongoing work to keep our European community safe".
Last week, TikTok said it removed more than 500,000 videos and live streams, while Meta said it removed or marked as disturbing more than 795,000 pieces of content in Arabic and Hebrew.