New EU policies on platforms will shape the next chapter of the internet
The European Union is in the midst of launching new policies that will shape the next chapter of the internet. The Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) will be published this week, joining the recent launch of the European Democracy Action Plan. This next chapter aims to change the concentration of power in our online environment, providing a better framework for innovation, fair competition, opinion-making, free speech and ultimately democracy.
We have arrived at a point where largely unregulated global online platforms wield enormous power to influence democracies and economies. That influence can be positive, but it is increasingly negative - inflicting lasting damage on our societies and economies. Online platforms influence opinion, censor accurate information while amplifying disinformation, and have too much control of the online marketplaces that are vital for economic growth. This can all turn people away from digitization. As European Commission Vice-President Margrethe Vestager has said: successful digitization relies on trust and the less people know and understand about platforms’ the more their trust in digitization wavers.