The Digital Services Act, a chance to lead the way again
When outlining her proposals for the current European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen spoke about "A Europe fit for the digital age." Amongst other regulations, she promised a new Digital Services Act (DSA) "to upgrade our liability and safety rules for digital platforms, services and products, and complete our digital market." This year saw the first steps to fulfil that promise, as the Commission announced its plan to put forward a DSA package in the final months of 2020, after launching a public consultation.
The intentions of this legislative package are noble. It aims to update the e-Commerce Directive of 2000, as well as to protect citizens from the growing range of "illegal goods, activities, and content."
The internet is a ubiquitous reality — much more so than 20 years ago. We only have to look at the increasing prevalence of social media and online platforms, both for discussion and business. Thus, this new regulation aims to tackle two trends. Firstly, the growing power of a series of businesses that, given their market share, act as gatekeepers in their sectors. Secondly, the online spread of illegal and "harmful content," with calls for regulating hate speech and taking down certain post or videos.
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