France is pushing for the EU in upcoming regulations on “Big Tech” to be changed so that member states could wield more power to punish tech firms and police more types of content. In recent weeks, France’s minister for the digital economy, Cedric O, has met with senior EU officials, including Thierry Breton, the European commissioner in charge of “Big Tech” regulation, to make the case for France’s desired changes to the Digital Services Act.
Javier Espinoza and Leila Abboud for Financial Times:
France’s move risks increasing tension in Brussels, where EU regulators fear being upstaged by large member states, such as France and Germany, which are busy enacting their own laws to tackle Big Tech.
French officials want to see changes to the Digital Services Act, which sets out the responsibilities of Big Tech companies when it comes to policing the web.
Paris wants every member state to have the right to fine tech platforms and force them to remove illegal content. Currently, only countries where tech companies have their headquarters can enforce the EU’s laws.
As a result Ireland and Luxembourg, where Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon are based, have disproportionate responsibilities in regulating Big Tech.
But EU officials worry that the French proposals will erode the EU’s single market.
MacDailyNews Take: “Illegal content.” As defined by whom?
We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. — George Orwell
“Illegal content” as defined by whatever authority in each country has the power to adopt criminal laws. Who else could define illegality?
These hissy fit throwing (usually at US) countries only know how to regulate and choke innovation. Why can’t they develop their own computer processors, AI and search engines, and mobile devices.