For media outlets, tracking down Big Tech’s self-declaration portals feels less like compliance and more like a scavenger hunt.

Six months after the EMFA entered into application, some VLOPs have created self-declaration mechanisms, but they have done little to make them accessible or visible. These tools are crucial for media outlets to enjoy safeguards against arbitrary takedowns and shadow bans, but what’s the point if they are nearly impossible to find?

Across the EU, media outlets face a frustrating challenge trying to locate these mechanisms. Many reported that finding a VLOP self-declaration form is like searching for a treasure, without a map. Can you find them via an online search? Rarely. Are the self-declaration mechanisms featured prominently on the platform interfaces? Not even close. Sometimes, the only way to access a form is to stumble across a direct link, bestowed upon you by a stroke of pure luck (or divine intervention).

At the EBU, we believe collaboration among media outlets is key. If Big Tech won’t make it easy, we’ll make it fair. After much digging, clicking, and head-scratching, we’ve gathered all the (sometimes elusive) links to existing self-declaration processes, listed below for everyone to use.

Here’s where things stand:

Meta's approach for Facebook and Instagram is refreshingly straightforward: Media organisations can declare all their accounts in one shot. The information requested broadly aligns with the EMFA’s requirements, and the mechanism functions as a simple box-ticking exercise. We wish the rest of the platforms would follow Meta’s lead.

YouTube’s one-account-at-a-time declaration system is tedious for media outlets operating multiple accounts. While the form itself is functional, the effort required makes us wonder: did anyone consider real-world workloads?

TikTok keeps things… quirky. Media organisations must fill out a Word document and email it to a single point of contact. While TikTok allows multiple account declarations, the platform asks for overly detailed information, making the process unnecessarily burdensome.

X takes you to a Google form (which requires a Google account – why?). To make matters worse, it does not seem possible to declare all accounts in a single submission. Try it out yourself here!

LinkedIn’s approach is basic. Media organisations must email the relevant information, and that’s pretty much it. Functional, sure – but quite below industry standards!

Our take

VLOPs have made self-declaration unnecessarily frustrating, whether through hidden functionalities, single-account submissions, or outdated manual processes. It’s time for them to rethink their approach. The EBU's guide, Trusted Media = Protected Posts, and the Commission’s new guidelines provide clear solutions, recommending:

• A dedicated, prominent interface for self-declarations, accessible directly from the platform
• Availability in multiple EU languages
• Bulk declarations for multiple accounts at once
• Active promotion of the feature

Big Tech must step up and fix these issues now. And to platforms that haven’t even started (looking at you, Apple App Store, Google Play Store, SnapChat): it's high time you get moving!

What can you do?

• Use the links shared above to complete your self-declaration and receive protections from arbitrary content moderation decisions by Big Tech platforms.
• Share these resources with colleagues within and beyond your organisation to ensure everyone can access their rights under the EMFA.
• Let’s join forces as media outlets to hold platforms accountable and ensure that everyone can enjoy the protections they’re entitled to.