Digital Services Act: Stricter EU rules for tech companies

The EU Parliament decides today on the “Digital Services Act”. The legislative package provides for stricter rules for tech companies. The platforms will be held more accountable.

No more digital Wild West, there’s a new sheriff in town – that’s what they say in Brussels. The EU has a lot planned. It’s about nothing less than the “first basic law for the Internet”. The responsible internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, even produced a special Twitter video with a Western atmosphere.

The “Digital Services Act” (DSA), the law on digital services, is intended to change the online world and limit the enormous market power of large corporations. Facebook, Google, Twitter, Amazon and the other digital giants have to adapt to stricter rules in Europe.

“Everything that is banned offline must also be banned online,” says Danish Social Democrat Christel Schaldemose, who is in charge of the EU Parliament’s draft law. One of the plans is for the major platforms to take more responsibility for their online marketplaces so that counterfeit or dangerous products are no longer sold.

Steps against illegal content, hate and hate speech

According to the will of the European Parliament, online services should act more quickly than before against illegal content such as hate or hate speech and, for example, prevent live broadcasts of terrorist attacks – as recently happened in New Zealand – as far as possible.

In addition, the corporations are no longer allowed to use the personal data of children and young people for targeted advertising and individually tailored content, for example for the dissemination of exaggerated ideals of beauty, because this can lead to anorexia in users.

Majority in Parliament is considered secure

Despite all concerns from different directions: A majority for the plans is considered safe. However, not all hurdles have been cleared with the parliamentary decision. The MEPs must now agree on a common line with the representatives of the member states and the EU Commission. The negotiations should start in the next few days.