© Unsplash/Christian Lue
Today, a few behemoths have control over the Internet. Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and the DMA (Digital Market Act). These have come into force in recent months in all countries of the European Union.
The objective of these two European texts is quite simple: the DSA and the DMA are two complementary aspects which aim to regulate the activity of the digital giants. The law of the jungle is over. The DMA strengthens competition to prevent companies less titanic than Google or Apple from having any chance. As for the DSA, it pushes platforms to review their entire operation in Europe. GAFAM now have a certain responsibility regarding the abuses of Internet users.
In this context, numerous elections will take place in various European countries, but also in the United States. While disinformation and manipulation of public opinion are legion on the Internet, and particularly on social networks like X (formerly Twitter), the European Commission is taking precautions to ensure the integrity of these future elections.< /p>
Rules for digital giants during elections
In 2024, more than a third of the world's population will go to the polls. Indeed, elections are planned in Portugal, Belgium, Croatia, Romania and Austria. Citizens of the European Union are invited to go to the polling stations at the beginning of next June. As for the Americans, they will elect their future president and vice-president on November 5, 2024.
As Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner, reminds us, “electoral integrity is a priority for the application of the DSA”. Facing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, he recalled that this year is crucial for democracies in the European Union and around the world. Thus, the EU is doing everything in place to protect Internet users from possible manipulation and other disinformation in the run-up to the elections, whatever they may be. Especially since a large part of public discourse now takes place online.
Currently, the European Commission is working on this guarantee of election integrity, in accordance with the DSA. The discussion is open since the Commission invites European citizens to take part in their draft guidelines for digital giants, online platforms and search engines, through a public consultation accessible until March 7, 2024.
Among the concerns of the European Union, there is obviously content generated by artificial intelligence. European politicians expect risk reduction measures from tech giants.
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