New EU law to hold social media companies accountable, US must increase transparency of Big Tech and reduce disinformation
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the European Union passed the Digital Services Act (DSA). The law is the strongest thus far to regulate Big Tech and adds notable momentum to ongoing efforts by U.S. lawmakers to rein in tech companies and stop disinformation on climate change and many other issues from flooding all online conversations .
Rep. Lori Trahan [D-MA-3], co-sponsor of the Digital Services Oversight and Safety Act in the U.S., issued the following statement:
Social media companies grandstand about their ideals and visions for the future but rake in obscene profits, thanks in large part to the spread of misinformation on their platforms. As issues like climate change rage, it’s imperative that enforcers, researchers, and the public have every resource available to tackle this crisis head on.
The EU’s Digital Services Act includes reporting requirements that will help the public and civil society hold companies accountable for their rhetoric on climate and many other issues. Here in the United States, we must do the same by passing the Digital Services Oversight and Safety Act. We can’t afford to leave any stone unturned in the fight to save our planet.
Michael Khoo, climate disinformation co-chair at Friends of the Earth U.S., issued the following statement:
Social media companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google should see the writing on the wall and reduce climate disinformation on their platforms immediately. Social media companies must also disclose the data on how climate disinformation is spreading widely on their platforms.
The Digital Services Act (DSA) will hold companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google accountable for spreading disinformation on climate change and so many other issues. The DSA’s transparency measures will let us see more of the data hidden by social media companies, but the US must not again fall behind EU regulations, as it has with digital privacy laws. Congress must create its own regulations for Big Tech such as the Digital Services Oversight and Safety Act so that American citizens do not receive less protections than European citizens.
Communications contacts: Erika Seiber, 865-255-7912, [email protected]