EU sets new online rules for Google and Meta to curb illegal content

BRUSSELS, April 23 (Reuters) – Alphabet (GOOGL.O) unit Google, Meta (FB.O) and other big online platforms will have to do more to tackle illegal content or risk hefty fines under new privacy rules. Internet agreed between the countries of the European Union. and EU lawmakers on Saturday.

The deal came after more than 16 hours of negotiations. The Digital Services Act (DSA) is the second part of the strategy of the EU antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, to control the unit of Alphabet (GOOGL.O) Google, Meta (FB.O) and other US technology giants .

Last month, he won backing from the 27-country bloc and lawmakers for landmark rules called the Digital Markets Act (DMA) that could force Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft to change their core business practices in Europe. read more

“We have an agreement on the DSA: The Digital Services Act will make sure what is illegal offline is also seen and treated as illegal online, not as a slogan, as a reality,” Vestager said in a tweet.

EU lawmaker Dita Charanzova, who had called for such rules eight years ago, welcomed the deal.

“Google, Meta and other major online platforms will have to act to better protect their users. Europe has made it clear that they cannot act as independent digital islands,” it said in a statement.

In a statement, Google said: “As the law is finalized and implemented, the details will matter. We look forward to working with lawmakers to get the remaining technical details to ensure the law works for everyone.”

According to the DSA, companies face fines of up to 6% of their global turnover for breaking the rules, while repeated breaches could see them banned from doing business in the EU.

The new rules prohibit advertising directed at children or based on sensitive information such as religion, gender, race and political opinions. Dark patterns, which are tactics that trick people into providing personal data to online companies, will also be banned.

Very large online platforms and online search engines will be required to take targeted action during a crisis. The move was prompted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and related disinformation.

Companies could be forced to hand over data related to their algorithms to regulators and investigators.

Companies also face an annual fee of up to 0.05% of worldwide annual revenue to cover the costs of monitoring their compliance.

EU legislator Martin Schirdewan criticized the exemption given to medium-sized companies.

“Under pressure from the conservatives, an exception rule for medium-sized companies was integrated, this is a mistake. Due to the large number of companies that fall under this definition in the digital sector, the exception is like a loophole,” he said. .

The DSA will come into effect in 2024.

Information from Foo Yun Chee; Edited by Sam Holmes and Shri Navaratnam

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