Grande-Marlaska calls on internet platforms to develop "ethical algorithms" to prevent minors being exposed to radicalised content

The Minister for Home Affairs, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, attends the EU Internet Forum

Fernando Grande-Marlaska warned of the risk of the use of generative artificial intelligence by terrorist organisations and called for "responsibility" from internet platforms in developing "ethical algorithms" that limit the exposure of users, "and especially minors", to radicalised content.

The minister made this proposal during his participation in the Ninth EU Internet Forum, held in Brussels, which brought together home affairs ministers from the 27 EU member states, together with representatives of the private sector and experts in technology. The meeting, chaired by Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson, addressed the challenges of generative AI and the fight against online child sexual abuse.

During his speech, the Spanish Home Affairs Minister expressed his concern about the capacity of AI to direct propaganda at vulnerable groups, as demonstrated by the latest anti-terrorist operations carried out in Spain, which culminated in the arrest of "both radicalised minors and adults for having indoctrinated minors", he pointed out.

In his opinion, it is necessary to continue working on improving the capacities of the security forces to detect AI-generated content, and in this vein he mentioned the European Regulation for removing terrorist content from the internet as "an essential tool of which Spain is making intensive use".

In 2023, Spain issued 62 takedown orders for terrorist content and was one of only four member states to use the Europol-enabled tool to transmit these communications. Spain was also the only member state to notify Europol of the existence of terrorist content representing an imminent threat to life, in accordance with Article 14 of the Regulation.

Fighting child sexual abuse online

The second session of the Internet Forum addressed the fight against online child sexual abuse and the proposal for a European regulation on this matter, which was the subject of an "intense legal debate" during the Spanish presidency of the Council in the last half of 2023, as Grande-Marlaska pointed out during his speech.

"The EU must provide itself with a legal framework to respond to the unbearable threat posed by the sexual abuse of children," the minister explained, highlighting the progress that made it possible to agree on the content of 85 of the 89 articles of the proposal for a regulation presented by the European Commission. In the Spanish six-month period, the transitional regulation allowing service providers to detect and voluntarily report child sexual exploitation material was also extended.

"Despite progress, it is not enough. We must equip ourselves with all the legal, material and operational means to put a stop to these despicable practices that attack the most vulnerable; the children," said Grande-Marlaska, also appealing to the need to combine this fight "with respect for other fundamental rights, such as the privacy of communications".

Non official translation