EU to propose tough law for Google, Facebook to expunge online hate

For companies, detecting harmful content is a constant battle as some groups continue to try to game their systems to spread their messages online as widely as possible

Google, Twitter Inc. and Facebook Inc. have taken significant steps to expunge Islamic State propaganda and other terrorist content from their platforms.

But taking no chances, the European Union is set to propose a tough new law anyway -- threatening internet platforms, big and small, with fines if they fail to take down terrorist material, according to people familiar with the proposals that could be unveiled as soon as September.

While the details of the measures are still being thrashed out, they would likely be based on the EU guidance from earlier this year, said the people, who asked not to be