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The DSA [Digital Services Act] and the DMA [Digital Markets Act], [part of a EU] legislation aimed to prevent large tech companies from abusing their market power, impose burdens and requirements on tech companies operating in Europe, regardless of where the companies come from. Most major tech companies come from the United States, and many have lobbied against the passage of both the DSA and the DMA.
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In a recent hearing in the House Judiciary Committee, which he chairs, [U.S. Republican lawmaker Jim] Jordan argued that Europeans are trying to control how U.S. companies operate and to “censor Americans.”
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But genuine concern over free speech may not be what’s sparked the discussion. The Trump administration’s deep ties to tech CEOs appear to be one of the reasons for Washington’s newfound interest in EU regulations.
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Big American tech companies appear to have successfully convinced the White House to work on their behalf against legislation they believe hamstrings them. One European official, who asked to speak on background in order to talk candidly, said the tech industry “sees the possibility to exercise pressure or influence, to leverage the proximity they have to the administration to push against regulation.”
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“The DSA doesn’t specify what is illegal content and what is not illegal content. It’s not focusing on speech that much,” [the international policy director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation Christoph] Schmon said. “It’s more focused on transparency and processes on platforms. So it doesn’t regulate speech.
“It basically says, if there’s illegal content, and you’re notified about that illegality, you must take it off if you want to preserve your limited liability for third-party content,” he added. “This portrayal of the DSA as a speech-censorship tool doesn’t fully correspond to the reality of how the law is drafted.”
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Despite what appears to be a tempest in a teapot, the legislation is likely here to stay. Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s vice president for tech sovereignty, security, and democracy, has said the EU will continue to enforce the laws. And even if officials in Brussels wanted to rescind them, they would need to pass new legislation through the EU’s parliament to do that. That seems like a long shot.
Anna Cavazzini, chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, which is in charge of digital legislation, argued the EU shouldn’t make concessions to Trump.
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“EU rules apply equally to all tech giants, regardless of where they come from. The Digital Services Act protects EU citizens from disinformation and hate online. And the Digital Markets Act gives small and medium-sized enterprises a fair chance to succeed in the digital single market,” Cavazzini said in an emailed statement. “The lesson here is clear: The EU should never give in to a blackmailer.”
The political party that is censoring the internet like there is no tomorrow, limiting free speech for Americans because they do like the speech, complains about the EU censoring Americans even though it doesn’t
Every accusation is an admission of guilt for these ass-hats
Jordan argued that Europeans are trying to control how U.S. companies operate
Yes, correct, that is what laws are supposed to do, no? Or can I just have a European company, and with that go murder Americans and that’s okay by US laws?
Funny how it’s about free speech when it’s convinient… But nobody bats an eye when they censor/block the ‘adult’ sites. Ever so often they cherry pick the cases that fit.
Europe has laws that benefit people, not companies. Americans hate that. News at 11.
Americans hate that
It’s more the American capitalists and their indoctrinated followers who hate that.
Those laws can quickly be broken to appease the Orange, though.
The nazis want more European nazis. Of course they do. Europe needs to hit back twice as hard to keep these nazis from taking over all of Europe.
German far right party AfD polls as second strongest right now … it does not go into this direction.
I come bearing bad news from the Ruhr valley…
What happened there? Some election where AfD got many more votes?
Correct. It seems to be a given at every election now. This time in the most populated state in Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia in the municipal elections (local representatives in councils and governors). Their votes grew from 5.1% to 16.5%. That’s aggravating as AfD usually makes jumps that big only in East-Germany and NRW is usually center left. But it was expectable that the sheep let themselves lull in by populists and eventually choose their own butcher again with some very promising & sane alternatives opposed to the US two party system e.g.
Luckily we have some good liberal and leftist influencers who have managed to pull a lot of younger people out of the grip of the extreme right, but I fear it’s way to less influence. We have our Nick Fuenteses too.
Can’t have people not being extorted! Its not the freedom way!
They’re aiming to destroy the remaining western powers who could legitimately oppose an American Christian fascist dictatorship; the UK, Germany, and France. They are the economic and military powerhouses of Europe. Without them, the rest of the EU would not be able to defend themselves against Russian, Chinese, or American imperialism.
It’s not a coincidence that Elon Musk is aggressively promoting fascism in each of them.
I see, why they’re obsessed. Because despite all its problems the EU shows that there is a better alternative to strongman dictatorships and the destruction of states. It does what states and governments should do, establish regulations to protect its citizens from harm. Which a completely free market would never do.
It’s part of the war on regulations, they just care more about the big tech ones in this regime.
Making exceptions to laws is a great way of canceling laws.
Sure, they can leave them in a very bad place…
