BRUSSELS, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Online platforms subject to

landmark EU tech rules could be required to detect and tackle

hybrid threats in Europe under a proposal set to be announced by

the European Commission next month and seen by Reuters.

The EU uses the term hybrid threats to refer to coordinated

attacks using a combination of economic, technological or other

measures that fall short of formal warfare. They can include

such things as disinformation campaigns or the use of social

media to control the political narrative.

The document, known as the European Democracy Shield, is

part of European Union efforts to counter foreign information

manipulation and interference and protect and promote democracy

across the 27-country bloc, triggered in part by Russian

misinformation.

Under the Digital Services Act which became applicable last

year, Alphabet's Google, Microsoft ( MSFT ), Meta

Platforms ( META ), Elon Musk's X, TikTok and other online

platforms have to do more to tackle illegal and harmful content

on their platforms.

They may have to broaden their efforts under the European

Democracy Shield.

"The Commission will prepare a DSA crisis protocol for

hybrid threats, to better detect, deter and respond to incident

and crises which will be developed with online platforms,

national authorities and relevant stakeholders," the document

said.

The document will also urge tech companies which signed up

to the Code of Conduct on disinformation to analyse threats

posed by deepfakes and AI-generated videos and media to

elections, and identify measures to counter them.

Signatories to the Code include Google, Microsoft ( MSFT ), Meta and

TikTok.

EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen is expected to announce the

proposal on November 13, according to a Commission agenda. The

timing and the details could still change until then.

(Writng by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Jan Harvey)