Online platforms targeted as the EU's biggest ever shake-up of digital rules kicks in

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What's prohibited offline should be prohibited online - social media platforms reigned in as the EU's biggest-ever shake-up of digital regulation kicks in

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00:00 What is prohibited offline must be prohibited online.

00:04 That's the general thrust of the EU's biggest ever shake-up of online regulation.

00:08 The Digital Services Act came into force on Friday.

00:11 It's aimed at keeping users safe online and stopping the spread of hate speech or harmful content

00:16 that's either illegal or violates a platform's terms of service, such as a promotion of genocide or anorexia.

00:22 Social networks, search engines and marketplaces like Amazon and Google

00:26 will have to comply or face hefty fines, and users will have more control.

00:31 So specifically, users will now have more transparency on how content moderation decisions are made.

00:38 Users will have more choice regarding the content that they engage in.

00:42 So, for example, they can opt out of personalized advertising,

00:46 or they can determine that the content that they see is presented in a chronological order

00:50 rather than based on determinations of the recommender systems that are based on vast amounts of data collection.

00:58 There will be more mechanisms for complaints and mechanisms for redress for individual users.

01:03 For the time being, only the 19 largest companies, those with more than 45 million monthly users, are affected.

01:10 The others have until February to comply.

01:12 Not all of them are happy and some are pushing back, but for now, they'll have to play ball.

01:17 Some digital giants have already announced the measures they're putting in place to adapt to the new environment.

01:22 Let's talk about the users.

01:26 So, for example, we have seen several platforms coming forward in the last few days

01:31 to outline some of the measures that they will be adopting.

01:34 This includes Meta, for example, Google and Snapchat,

01:38 and TikTok in particular has also outlined some of the measures that they will be adopting,

01:43 including how they will increase their transparency and their accountability for users in the European Union

01:50 and, of course, how this will impact users more globally as well.

01:54 Interestingly, however, TikTok and the company formerly known as Twitter underwent stress tests earlier this summer,

02:01 in which the European Commission noted that much more work was actually needed

02:05 in order for both platforms to be compliant with the law.

02:09 Certain targeted advertisements, particularly those aimed at minors, are now prohibited,

02:14 as are those based on sensitive data such as sexual orientation or religion.

02:18 In the event of infringement, companies face big fines.

02:21 But Brussels insiders have pointed out some notable emissions, like eBay, AirBnB, Netflix and even Pornhub.

02:28 and I think scheduling...

02:30 (whooshing)

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