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Global Freedom of Expression

Platforms on the hook? EU and human rights requirements for human involvement in content moderation

Key Details

  • Region
    Europe and Central Asia
  • Themes
    Content Moderation

Platforms on the hook? EU and human rights requirements for human involvement in content moderation

By Emmanuel Vargas Penagos

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2025

 

Abstract

This article explores the human rights standards relevant to ensuring human involvement requirements in EU legislation related to automated content moderation. The opinions given by different experts and human rights bodies emphasise the human rights relevance of the way in which platforms distribute automated and human moderators in their services. EU secondary legislation establishes basic requirements for these structures that are called to be read under a human rights perspective. This article examines the justifications given for incorporating human involvement in content moderation, the different types of human involvement in content moderation, and the specific requirements for such involvement under EU secondary law. Additionally, it analyses the human rights principles concerning procedural safeguards for freedom of expression within this legal framework.

Authors

Emmanuel Vargas Penagos

LLB (Uniandes), LLM (Amsterdam), PhD student, Örebro University
Co-founder, El Veinte