Big Tech platforms agreed to provide data to the European Union to fight “disinformation” online.
Financial Times Reports claimed that Meta, Twitter and Google provided data to specific EU countries. This gave the bloc greater control over online speech.
The countries targeted groups that spread so-called “fake news” via the platforms.
“To respond to disinformation effectively, there is a need for country- and language-specific data,” The Times quoted EU Vice-President for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová as saying “We know disinformation is different in every country, and the big platforms will now have to provide meaningful data that would allow to understand better the situation on the country level.”
The “code of practice on disinformation” is the EU’s latest effort to gain more influence over Big Tech.
NewsBustersAn earlier report in this year stated that an EU-proposed law would require Apple to permit third-party apps stores to be used on its products.
“We believe that the owner of a smartphone should have the freedom to choose how to use it,” European Commission spokesperson Johannes Bahrke told The VergeIt was at that time. “This freedom includes being able to opt for alternative sources of apps on your smartphone. The [Digital Markets Act]A smartphone owner could still use the safe and secure default app store to access their apps. On top of that, if a user so chooses, the DMA would allow a smartphone owner to also opt for other safe app stores.”
Its part: NewsBusters reported the U.S. government opposed the Digital Services Act (DSA), which targeted “illegal” content online.
According to Reuters, “DMA would mandate gatekeepers in certain circumstances to give competitors information that could be protected under intellectual property and trade secrets law,” a U.S. document said.
The DMA doesn’t contain specific language related to protection of intellectual properties, trade secrets, or other relevant terminology. There is concern that DMA could override current protections of intellectual property rights in EU law, such as protection of trade secrets.
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