The European Commission, Parliament and member states have agreed on a new law on digital services to increase the responsibility of digital giants to control illegal online content.
Among other things, the new digital services law obliges digital waste such as Facebook, Google and Twitter to remove illegal content from their platforms at the risk of fines paid to the EU Commission.
More than 16 hours of trilogue talks between the European Commission, Parliament and member states were concluded early Saturday.
Chief Negotiator for the European Parliament’s Industry Committee, Member of the European Parliament Henna Virkkunen (Kok./EPP) described the law on Twitter as an important step.
Vice-President of the European Commission for Digital Waste Margrethe Vestager rejoiced at reaching an agreement on Twitter.
“What is illegal outside the network is now considered and processed illegally online,” Vestager writes.
The law imposes special obligations on digital waste. Among other things, the EU defines large online platforms as reaching more than 10% of the EU’s 450 million citizens.
– Large platform companies have greater responsibilities than small service providers, as their social and economic significance is greater, Virkkunen writes in his press release.
The law increases the responsibility of digital giants to monitor online content
Under the Digital Services Act, digital giants would have to pay a fine of up to six percent of their revenue if they do not remove illegal content, services, or goods from their platforms. Content must be removed as soon as it becomes available to the business.
Social media platforms must remove users who repeatedly break the law.
In addition, the law requires users to be able to easily report illegal content, services, or products.
With the war launched by Russia in Ukraine, a separate crisis mechanism was added to the law, allowing the EU Commission to oblige digital waste to take special measures in crisis situations.
With the Digital Services Act, digital giants must increase the transparency of their data use and algorithms.
The Digital Services Act will enter into force in 2024.