EU Gives Tentative Approval to Measure Restricting Online Content

LOS ANGELES – Technology companies, adult industry firms and other online businesses may face new restrictions on how they conduct business after the European Parliament and Council for the European Union gave initial approval to the landmark Digital Services Act, according to the Washington Post. The legislative body for the 27-nation bloc gave preliminary approval to the legislation that aims to give governments greater control over online content and business practices by digital firms. The approval paves the way for additional discussion and debate for the legislation which would now return to the body for final approval in a few months. To read the full story, click here. The legislation approved Thursday allows governments to force companies to remove content that they consider illegal, like Holocaust denial material, which is illegal in Germany, or racist content, which is banned in France. The measure, if approved, would significantly impact how companies interact with users and the types of content and advertising material they post, making it easier for Europeans to opt out of targeted advertising and prohibiting companies from targeting children with advertising. The action could influence how Congress deals with social media firms who have been the focus of efforts to increase transparency and how they allow questionable content and manage user data.