The 27 member countries of the EU have just adopted the “Digital Services Act”, a new legislation intended to better control digital players within Europe. Changes are to be expected for the main social networks, under penalty of substantial fines.
Member countries of the European Union and the European Parliament on Saturday adopted a new legislative framework aimed at digital platforms which are urged to step up their efforts to combat illegal content online.
Radical changes?
The “Digital Services Act” (DSA) package was approved after 4 p.m. of negotiations this Friday, April 22, 2022 and comes after the adoption last month of the “(Digital Markets Act) which also targeted digital giants, whether Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, Facebook, a subsidiary of Meta or Amazon.
The new rules, which will come into force in 2024, regulate in particular advertising content aimed at children or those based on sensitive personal data, whether it is religion, sex, race or political opinions. . Rigged interfaces, which have no other purpose than to extract personal information under false pretenses are also prohibited.
\ud83d\udea8Breaking\ud83d\udea8 After 16 hours of negotiations, we have a deal on the Digital Services Act!!
\u2705 swift removal of illegal content
\u2705 safer online space for users and minors
\u2705 more responsible tech platformsPress release coming soon.. pic.twitter.com/ONptbzj5jt
— IMCO Committee Press (@EP_SingleMarket) April 23, 2022
A hefty fine
The system provides that companies covered by the DSA risk a fine of up to 6% of their worldwide turnover if they violate the rules on illegal content. They could even be banned from operating within the European Union if their offenses were to be repeated.
In a press release, Google said it was studying the text adopted on Saturday and said it was ready to work with the public authorities to ensure that the law is respected by all. “Yes, we have an agreement! With the DSA, the days when the big digital platforms could behave as they please because of their power are over,” commented European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, on Twitter.