Will the Digital Services Act Save Europe from Disinformation?

Summary:

Despite years of efforts, the EU remains vulnerable to disinformation and misinformation campaigns, which threaten to polarise societies and reduce trust in democratic institutions. Given the sensitive interests at stake, such as freedom of speech, EU lawmakers have done well to agree on new responsibilities for online platforms. Other Western countries are far behind in achieving any consensus. The UK’s Online Safety Bill is still attracting criticism even amongst Tories.  And US Congress agrees on the need to reform the current law regulating online platforms but is hopelessly divided on what form that regulation should take. EU law-makers have settled on a good plan for mitigating the impacts of disinformation online – by making platforms more transparent and accountable. The Commission’s last-minute effort for tougher crisis powers could undermine the compromises already achieved, stifle free speech, and risk making disinformation worse

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ESO Records

CERRE: Jan. 2022: Improving EU Institutional Design to Better Supervise Digital Platforms https://www.europeansources.info/record/improving-eu-institutional-design-to-better-supervise-digital-platforms/

EPRS At a Glance: Feb. 2019: Online disinformation and the EU’s response https://www.europeansources.info/record/online-disinformation-and-the-eus-response/

European Commission: COM (2020) 825: Proposal for a Regulation on a Single Market For Digital Services (Digital Services Act) and amending Directive 2000/31/EC https://www.europeansources.info/record/proposal-for-a-regulation-on-a-single-market-for-digital-services-digital-services-act-and-amending-directive-2000-31-ec/

European Parliament: Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union including Disinformation: 2020-22: Foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation https://www.europeansources.info/record/foreign-interference-in-all-democratic-processes-in-the-european-union-including-disinformation/

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