The Terrorist Content Online (TCO) Regulation was adopted by the EU to counteract the dissemination of terrorist content on the internet and to ensure the speedy removal of terrorist content by hosting service providers.
An Garda Síochána is Ireland’s competent authority for issuing removal orders to hosting services providers under the TCO Regulation. Providers have one hour to remove terrorist content when they receive a removal order.
Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland’s competent authority to decide whether hosting service providers are “exposed” to terrorist content under Article 5 of the TCO Regulation and is Ireland’s competent authority to impose penalties on providers for not complying with the rules. Fines could be up to 4% of the service provider’s global turnover.
We oversee how hosting service providers exposed to terrorist content take specific measures to prevent the dissemination of terrorist content to the public. This involves assessing the mitigating steps they take, supervising their response to removal orders and looking at issues relating to reporting, remedy and further mitigation.
On 13 June 2024 the Commission published its Decision Framework on Hosting Service Provider Exposure to Terrorist Content. This describes the steps the Commission will follow when deciding if a service is exposed to terrorist content.
- If you see terrorist content online, report it immediately to the hosting service provider.
- Competent Authorities should send Removal Orders to Coimisiún na Meán and any other Terrorist Content Online Regulation queries to tco@cnam.ie.
- More information about TCO is available here.
- Further information relating to the Designation of legal representatives under Article 17.
The Commission addresses terrorist content under the TCO Regulation along with other pieces of legislation in its Online Safety Framework, including the Digital Services Act and its upcoming Online Safety Code.
On 13 November 2024, Coimisiún na Meán has taken a decision that TikTok Technology Limited, Twitter International Unlimited Company and Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, in respect of the service Instagram, are exposed to terrorist content.
