EU commissioner blames Meta and TikTok for Ceuta migration crisis fueled by viral disinformation

Virkkunen confronts Meta and TikTok

EU Digital Commissioner Henna Virkkunen met with representatives of Meta and TikTok on August 7 and accused the companies of not doing enough to combat disinformation that circulated on their platforms during the Ceuta migration crisis. Virkkunen, from Finland, posted on X after the meeting that platforms must act decisively in crisis situations.

Especially in crisis situations, platforms must act decisively to preserve the integrity of the digital space. Monitoring must be intensified and cooperation with fact-checkers must be strengthened.

She demanded more monitoring, closer cooperation with fact-checkers, and a more robust crisis management protocol from the platforms. The disinformation spread across TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, where viral posts claimed the border was open, accommodations were ready, and the Spanish mainland was within reach.

The crossing and its human cost

Last week, tens of thousands of people crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, most of them swimming through the sea. According to Madrid, around 72,000 people reached the enclave, while VRT NWS reported nearly 50,000 border crossings. Of those, between 2,000 and 8,000 were still in Ceuta a week later, according to VRT NWS.

The death toll varies sharply by source. Authorities on both sides of the border reported more than 80 dead, while Moroccan human rights organizations spoke of at least 141 fatalities. Human rights groups cited in one report said "far over 100" dead. Almost all surviving migrants were expelled by Spanish authorities or returned voluntarily. An estimated 1,000 minors remain in Ceuta with uncertain futures.

Misleading videos amplify chaos

VRT NWS documented several misleading videos circulating on social media. One showed boats arriving on the Spanish coast but was actually recorded in 2023. Another depicted an "overwhelmed train station" that was in fact in the Moroccan city of Kenitra, not Spain, where people wanted to take the train toward Ceuta according to Arab television channels. While some footage was genuinely recent and filmed in or around Ceuta, the claims attached to those videos on social media were not always accurate.

Morocco prosecutes taxi drivers

Seven Moroccan taxi drivers were sentenced to prison terms of up to six months for driving people to the Ceuta border. They were found guilty of facilitating the illegal departure of Moroccans and foreigners and transporting passengers without a license. Each was fined approximately 930 euros, and one vehicle was confiscated. A union criticized the verdicts, which were published on the Moroccan Justice Ministry website. The ministry and prosecutors did not respond to requests for comment.

EU policy response and public opinion

After a special meeting of EU member states this week, officials said early warning systems could be further developed through social media monitoring to improve the common situational picture. The EU plans to observe popular social networks more closely in the future. Separately, a YouGov poll commissioned by Welt am Sonntag found that 66 percent of Germans believe large US technology companies such as Meta, Amazon, Google, and Apple have too much influence in Germany, while 18 percent disagreed and 17 percent were undecided.

Political scientist Carlos Echeverria Jesus, professor of international relations and director of the Observatory of Ceuta and Melilla in Madrid, told Le Monde that the Ceuta crisis reflects Morocco's territorial ambitions.