The European Parliament passed the Digital Services Act (DSA) on Thursday 20 January. The new legislative package is the successor to the 2000 Electronic Commerce Directive. The aim is to adapt EU legislation to the current state of the digital age, which has changed significantly in recent years.
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The Digital Services Act defines the responsibilities of technology companies in terms of fighting illegal content on online platforms and provides a system of sanctions for their violations. In the course of the work on it, 136 amendments to the text of the law were proposed at plenary sessions of the European Parliament just last month.
Some of the key elements of the new law are a ban on the use of sensitive personal information and data of minors for advertising purposes, a ban on the use of deceptive dark schemes, and a ban on the use of sensitive data to track users.
Technology companies must now respond more quickly to reports of online abuse. The law makes companies responsible for their decisions and allows them to challenge them.
Before the vote, European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said that the DSA aims to do this “Making the internet safer for citizens by protecting them from illegal content, including unsafe or unauthorized products, while ensuring their freedom of expression online.”
The draft law passed by the European Parliament is not final. It serves as a starting point for tripartite negotiations with the European Council and European Commission, where further amendments can be adopted.
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