Arrr! The European Union be settin' sail to impose their strict online rules on every wee platform out there, matey!
2024-02-16
Arrr, me hearties! The codes of the European Union's Digital Services Act, which be already in force on the grandest online platforms, shall now broaden its reach to almost all online platforms, ye scurvy dogs!
The European Union is expanding its strict digital rulebook to almost all online platforms in the bloc, targeting toxic social media content and dodgy ecommerce products. The Digital Services Act (DSA) has already been implemented for major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Amazon, and Wikipedia. The DSA includes requirements to ensure internet users' safety, such as reporting counterfeit or unsafe goods and flagging harmful or illegal content like hate speech. It also prohibits ads targeted at children. The new rules will now apply to almost all online platforms, marketplaces, and intermediaries in the EU, with only the smallest businesses exempt. This means that thousands more websites, including popular ones like eBay and OnlyFans, could potentially be covered by the regulations.The DSA also introduces transparency requirements for platforms, including informing users about digital ads and the reasons behind their targeting. Ads cannot target users based on sensitive data like political or religious beliefs and sexual preferences. Platforms must also explain content moderation decisions and provide explanations to users whose posts were taken down or accounts suspended.
The EU has already begun investigating Elon Musk's social media platform X (formerly Twitter) for potential violations of the DSA, specifically regarding its efforts to curb the spread of illegal content.
European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager stated that the expansion of the DSA is a significant milestone in creating a safer and more transparent online world, reflecting the fundamental values and principles of the EU.