The regulator has determined under an EU-wide mechanism that WhatsApp’s Channels service and Pinterest as a whole are “exposed to terrorist content”.

Under the Terrorist Content Online Regulation (TCOR), hosting service providers which receive two or more final removal orders from EU competent authorities within the last 12 months may be determined as being exposed to terrorist content.

Coimisiún na Meán said it reached the decision in respect of WhatsApp and Pinterest following the notification of two or more final removal orders and engagement with the providers.

Pinterest and WhatsApp will now be obliged to take specific measures to protect their services from being used for the dissemination of terrorist content.

They will have to report to Coimisiún na Meán on the specific measures taken within three months from the receipt of the decision.

These measures shall be “effective, targeted, proportionate and respectful of the fundamental rights of users”, the regulator said.

Coimisiún na Meán will supervise and assess the mitigation actions taken by the provider.

Where it considers that the specific measures taken do not comply with legislative requirements, it will address a decision to the hosting service provider requiring it to take the necessary measures to ensure that legislative provisions are complied with.

Last year, Coimisiún na Meán made four initial determinations under TCOR, that TikTok, X and Meta (in respect of Instagram and Facebook) services were “exposed to terrorist content”, all of which it is continuing to supervise.

The regulator is currently meeting with and seeking additional information from the four providers on the specific measures that they have taken to protect users of their services from terrorist content as stated in Article 5 (2) and (3) of the Regulation.

Infringements by hosting service providers of the TCOR can lead to the imposition of administrative fines, including financial penalties of up to four percent of global turnover.