European lawmakers reached an agreement in Brussels early Saturday on a legislative package that imposes a major new obligation on how big tech companies process content on the platform.
Important reason: This is another positive step towards European technology that is leading the way in regulation in the digital age and has already set the tone for how the world deals with online privacy and competition.
News promotion: After hours of deliberation, EU parliamentarians reached a political agreement on the Digital Services Act (DSA) and set out the final details of the proposal.
- According to a statement from the European Council, the DSA is new to all online content hosts serving Europe, following the principle that what is considered illegal speech in Europe should also be considered illegal speech online. We impose certain obligations.
- The new rules aim to stop the flow of false information, demand transparency, and limit certain types of targeted advertising.
What they are saying: “What is illegal offline is no longer the slogan that what is illegal offline should be considered and treated online,” said Marguerite Vestager, vice chairman of the European Commission and head of competition. It’s real. ” On Twitter.
- “It helps us get rights online and feel safe,” she said.
Big picture: The DSA follows Europe, which reached a political agreement last month on the Digital Markets Act, a major competitive package.
detail: The size of your company’s business determines which new rules apply. Services with more than 45 million active users in Europe face the most stringent requirements.
- The largest platforms and services are about mitigating the risks associated with “dissemination of illegal content, adverse effects on fundamental rights, manipulation of services that affect democratic processes and public security, and adverse effects on gender-based violence.” You need to do an analysis every year. It has a serious impact on the physical and mental health of minors and users. “
- The online marketplace has a new “duty of care” and new transparency rules are required.
- Misleading interfaces, sometimes referred to as “dark patterns,” are prohibited by the DSA.
- The platform needs to allow users to opt out of recommendations based on history and other information. There are also new rules for responding to false information about breaking news and minor protection measures.
- Platforms that do not follow the rules can be fined up to 6% of total revenue, and companies such as Alphabet (Google) and Meta (Facebook) can be fined billions of dollars in total. I have.
What’s next: The agreement must pass through the European Council and Parliament, which will almost certainly happen.
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