Social Media
What Is EU’s Digital Services Act And How Are Social Media Giants Reacting To It?
Updated on Mon, Aug 28, 2023
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It's not like cat videos are not a-dough-rable or baking is not that a-mew-sing but the thing is, recommended content can be a real headache for many of us. You know the drill: you're innocently browsing the web, perhaps reading up on your favorite topics or catching up on the news, when suddenly, your screen is bombarded with a range of "suggested" articles, videos, or products.
Brace yourself, as now there's a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
A recent report sheds light on the Digital Services Act (DSA), paired with its sibling regulation, the Digital Markets Act, that could be the beginning of a sea change in how tech giants wield their platform power. These regulations would offer users the choice to opt out of personalized content.
According to another report, the EU's Digital Services Act will be imposed on 19 of the largest online platforms that are subjected to the toughest tech regulations ever imposed by the Western world. These Very Large Online Platforms AKA, VLOPs, have at least 45 million monthly users. According to EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, that deems them "systemically relevant."
What does this act mean for you, the everyday internet user?
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The same report says this act is a hope for a more transparent, fair and user-centric digital landscape. No longer will you be at the mercy of algorithms pushing content onto your screen without your consent.
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It will be like living in a digital world where you have the power to say "no" to intrusive recommendations and regain the freedom to explore the internet on your own terms. These regulations could be the catalyst for making that vision a reality.
That sounds cool but why are these regulations essential in today's digital landscape?
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One of the key provisions in these regulations is the requirement for platforms to identify and mitigate the systemic risks associated with their use of artificial intelligence (AI). It means that tech giants must now take responsibility for the potentially harmful consequences of their algorithms.
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Another groundbreaking aspect of these regulations is the mandate for platforms to open up their treasure troves of data to external researchers. Independent academics will be able to dive deep into the data these tech giants have been amassing for years. This move promises to facilitate careful investigations into the societal and technological impacts of these platforms.
Let's look at how tech giants are reacting to this act.
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According to a report, most VLOPs have touted their compliance with the DSA through press releases. They went further to explain the level of effort into achieving it.
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To begin with, Meta President Nick Clegg's post claims that the social media giant has "assembled one of the largest cross-functional teams in our history, with over 1,000 people currently working on the DSA."
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On the other hand, Google's post highlights "significant investments" it has made to comply with the new rules, though it hasn't shared a headcount number.
In a nutshell, the DSA could be the first step toward untangling the web of platform power and user-choice compliance.
Do you think imposing obligations such as the Digital Marketing Act on tech giants will help rebalance the digital landscape in favor of users?
Drop your thoughts in the comments section below!
First published on Mon, Aug 28, 2023
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