BRUSSELS: A key EU lawmaker in the European Parliament, who is steering the debate on tough new rules aimed at Facebook, Google, and other large online platforms, has secured support in the draft rules to strengthen European citizens’ fundamental rights. The Digital Services Act (DSA), proposed by the European Commission in December of last year, requires tech giants to do more to combat illegal content on their platforms, such as hate speech and child sexual abuse material.
Greens politician Patrick Breyer, who is in charge of shepherding the DSA through Parliament on behalf of the assembly’s civil liberties and justice committee, wants the regulations to place a stronger emphasis on fundamental rights and digital privacy.
On Wednesday, the committee approved his recommendations, which must now be approved by two other committees looking into the draft rules. By the end of the year, Parliament hopes to have a common position. In an interview with Reuters, Breyer said, “It is clear that the European Parliament proposal will be much more ambitious than the Commission proposal; in some aspects, it could be groundbreaking.” His recommendations include the right to use and pay for digital services anonymously wherever possible, the phase-out of behavioural and individualised targeting for non-commercial and political advertising, and no requirement for platforms to prevent content access.
The final parliament plan will need to be worked out with EU members, and the laws are expected to take effect next year.
(Foo Yun Chee contributed reporting; Elaine Hardcastle edited the piece.)/n
