Europe Seals a Deal on Tighter Rules For Digital Services (techcrunch.com) 15
European Union lawmakers have secured a provisional deal on a landmark update to rules for digital services operating in the region -- grabbing political agreement after a final late night/early morning of compromise talks on the detail of what is a major retooling of the bloc's existing ecommerce rulebook. From a report: The political agreement on the Digital Services Act (DSA) paves the way for formal adoption in the coming weeks and the legislation entering into force -- likely later this year. Although the rules won't start to apply until 15 months after that -- so there's a fairly long lead in time to allow companies to adapt.
The regulation is wide ranging -- setting out to harmonize content moderation and other governance rules to speed up the removal of illegal content and products. It addresses a grab-bag of consumer protection and privacy concerns, as well as introducing algorithmic accountability requirements for large platforms to dial up societal accountability around their services. While 'KYC' requirements are intended to do the same for online marketplaces.
The regulation is wide ranging -- setting out to harmonize content moderation and other governance rules to speed up the removal of illegal content and products. It addresses a grab-bag of consumer protection and privacy concerns, as well as introducing algorithmic accountability requirements for large platforms to dial up societal accountability around their services. While 'KYC' requirements are intended to do the same for online marketplaces.
Getting serious (Score:4, Funny)
They are getting serious about it, this is thesecond day in a row they announce a Digital Services Act [slashdot.org]
Oh noes! (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:3)
The primary impact is going to be an elimination of end to end encryption under the guise of stopping kiddie porn.
Well, it looks like you'll have to give that nasty habit up then. BTW, did you know...
The Commission proposed 6 concrete non-legislative measures to support law enforcement authorities in overcoming challenges posed by encryption in the context of criminal investigations. These measures respect the safeguarding of strong encryption, required for the functioning of the Digital Single Market and do not in any way prohibit, limit or weaken encryption ("no backdoors"). Source: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affa... [europa.eu]
Also...
Encryption, or the encoding of messages in such a way that only intended recipients can understand them, is one of the main tools to guarantee the security of our information. It is recognised as necessary for the digital economy and for the protection of fundamental rights, such as privacy and free speech.
While law enforcement requires the means to fight crime on the internet, any new measure would have to first p
Re: (Score:2)
I think Germany's biggest motivation is to ban video games that depict killing nazis. They really don't like it when people do that.
Oh, great (Score:2)
setting out to harmonize content moderation and other governance rules to speed up the removal of illegal content and products.
to dial up societal accountability around their services
Well, no risks of that being abused! All should be well from here on.
Re: (Score:2)
If Facebook, etc., have to pack up their bags and go home then nothing much of value will be lost.
You can bet they won't though. They'll still be able to provide the basic service that we really wanted from them in the first place.
Re: (Score:2)
>You can bet they won't though
Unfortunately yes. They will still be around and do their sleazy stuff, but now they have to find new ways to do them until maybe some legislation to stop that new way 10+ years later and then again and again the circle goes around.
Re: (Score:3)
I think what Europe intends on replacing it with will be much worse. Think how Germany forces all video game players to provide their real identification before they can be allowed to play. Just watch, they'll eventually expand that to social media just like China.
Basically they'll implement the Cocteau Plan.
F.A.G.M.A.N needs regulation (Score:3)
API access needed (to combat network effects) (Score:2)
What we really need is the requirement that these large platforms provide a free API for interoperability.
For example:
* If my friends use Gmail and I use Hotmail, then there is no problem for me to email them.
* But if my friends use Facebook, and I use Diaspora, then I can't share posts.
Email is an open, interoperable protocol between multiple platforms; Facebook (etc) lack this.
So, what we need is a requirement that people can communicate with users of a platform (eg Facebook) without being a member of tha