The EU Digital Services Act went into effect last Friday, and since there’s an insane amount of misinformation from big tech astroturfers about what the DSA means, it’s time to list what the DSA really does for people in the EU.
People in the 27-nation European Union can alter some of what shows up when they search, scroll and share on the biggest social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook and other tech giants like Google and Amazon.
That’s because Big Tech companies, most headquartered in the U.S., are now subject to a pioneering new set of EU digital regulations. The Digital Services Act aims to protect European users when it comes to privacy, transparency and removal of harmful or illegal content.
Here are five things that will change when you sign on.
All of these are excellent improvements and gives us as consumers more sticks to fight with. The EU is far from perfect – just like any other government – but as far as consumer protection goes, they’re leading the charge. Never forget who would not want consumers to have more protections.