The European Commission found that Apple breached its anti-steering obligation under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), and that Meta breached the DMA obligation to give consumers the choice of a service that uses less of their personal data. Therefore, the Commission has fined Apple and Meta.

According to&nbsp;<a data-analytics-event-attached="true" href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/86793/ANNA_CAVAZZINI/home" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Anna Cavazzini</a>&nbsp;(Greens/EFA, DE), Chair of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection,

"...this&nbsp;&nbsp;decision is by no means the start of a ‘tech war’ in response to Trump's erratic tariff policy. Instead, it is the consistent implementation of existing EU law. This includes, as a last resort, imposing fines on Apple and Meta under the DMA regulation to ensure they comply with EU digital legislation.&nbsp;It is very easy for companies to avoid this: they just have to comply with European law.”

The Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) have two main goals: to create a safer digital space in which the fundamental rights of all users of digital services are protected and to establish a level playing field to foster innovation, growth, and competitiveness, both in the European Single Market and globally.

The&nbsp;Digital Services Act (DSA)&nbsp;aims to create a safer digital space in which users rights are protected, including rules to tackle illegal content online, enhance the accountability and transparency of algorithms, and dealing with content moderation and targeted advertising.

Digital Markets Act&nbsp; (DMA) sets rules on what big online platforms will be allowed to do and not do in the EU. It&nbsp;blacklists certain practices of large platforms acting as “gatekeepers” and enables the Commission to carry out market investigations and sanction non-compliant behaviour.

Digital Services and Digital Markets Act

On Wednesday, MEPs will debate with the Commission the need for targeted criminal provisions and increased platform responsibility to tackle harmful online behaviour.  

 

The debate will conclude with a resolution to be voted on by MEPs Thursday. The Commission recently presented its action plan against cyberbullying, built around a support app, the coordination of national approaches, and the prevention of cyberbullying by encouraging safer digital practices. MEPs are expected to call on the Commission to make cyberbullying a criminal offence under EU law and propose other legislative measures to address existing legal gaps.  

 

The Digital Services Act introduced stronger protection for people targeted by harassment and bullying, including ensuring that non-consensual private images and other abusive content can be quickly flagged and taken down. MEPs will likely ask the Commission what more can be done to increase the responsibility of online platforms.

The need for targeted criminal provisions and platforms’ responsibility to effectively address cyberbullying and online harassment

MEPs propose bans on harmful practices like addictive design and gambling-like game features, and a minimum age of 16 for social media access.

Parliament debates and votes on a report calling for accelerating the enforcement of the EU Digital Services Act and the AI Act, while closing legal gaps to ensure online services are safe for minors to use. Sounding the alarm over the mental health risks and rising social media addiction among children and adolescents, MEPs want to ban the most harmful addictive practices for minors and for the EU to take action against persuasive technologies and practices such as targeted ads, influencer marketing, addictive design, loot boxes and dark patterns. The text proposes a common EU-wide minimum age threshold of 16 years for accessing social media platforms and the development of privacy preserving age assurance systems.

EP Plenary debate on the protection of minors online

MEPs discuss the need to enforce the Digital Services Act (DSA) to safeguard democracy from foreign interference and algorithmic manipulation. 
The debate with Council and Commission representatives will focus on the compliance of major social media companies with the DSA, which sets clear obligations for digital service providers to tackle the spread of illegal content, online disinformation, and other societal risks. 
MEPs are expected to express concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability of platforms’ recommender systems and their failure to tackle risks, like disinformation and foreign interference. This follows a plenary debate on 17 December 2024, which addressed the issue of online disinformation in European elections. During that discussion, many MEPs urged the Commission to actively enforce the DSA and impose sanctions on platforms that violate EU rules.  
MEPs are also likely to bring up the future of the transatlantic partnership on technology, particularly in the context of the inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump on 20 January, Elon Musk’s involvement in the US government and Meta’s recent decision to end its fact-checking programme. 
Background 
While the DSA does not regulate personal views or opinions, it introduces measures to tackle illegal content - such as terrorist material and child sexual abuse - in full compliance with the principles of freedom of expression and information. The legislation ensures users have a right to challenge unlawful or arbitrary content moderation decisions by online platforms. At the same time, online platforms are required to be more transparent about their operations, including about their “recommender systems”.

Debate on the need to enforce DSA to protect democracy

EP Plenary session -  Achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe, in light of recent developments affecting access to advanced AI technologies

Whereas generative AI (Gen AI) tools are already widely used to find, consume and share information, they can also accelerate and transform information manipulation, challenging information integrity in new ways. As pressures on the information space continue to grow, mirrored in public concern, regulators are pushed to act fast. In a changing geostrategic landscape, upholding universal values in the digital realm is particularly pertinent for the EU. Legislation relevant to Gen AI-enabled information manipulation includes the Artificial Intelligence Act, the Digital Services Act (DSA), including the Code of Conduct on Disinformation, the European Media Freedom Act and the Directive on Combating Violence against Women.

Information manipulation in the age of generative AI

EP Plenary session - The need for targeted criminal provisions and platforms’ responsibility to effectively address cyberbullying and online harassment

IMCO - The Digital Services Act in global context: addressing misleading narratives

IMCO - Protecting minors from sexualised AI content on TikTok and X/Grok: Implications under the DSA

EP Plenary session - Tackling AI deepfakes and sexual exploitation on social media by making full use of the EU’s digital rules

Press conference on the Protection of minors online

EP Plenary session - Protection of minors online

EP Plenary session - The decision to impose a fine on Google: defending press and media freedom in the EU

MEPs vote on topics such as digital euro, critical Raw Materials Act, respect of human rights situation in Sudan, persecution of Christians in Nigeria, the protection of girls in Pakistan, EU competitiveness and humanitarian aid.

Voting Session

MEPs debate on achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe, in light of recent developments affecting access to advanced AI technologies. On 3 June, the European Commission presented its strategy for European tech sovereignty, including an EU open-source strategy. This aims to develop and scale critical technologies, infrastructure, and data to strengthen the EU’s economy, security, and society. The strategy also seeks to reduce reliance on non-EU countries by diversifying supply chains and mitigating foreign interference. On the same day, MEPs debated digital sovereignty and resilience with Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen. While welcoming the proposal, they raised concerns about the EU-US data transfer agreement and called for demand-side measures and greater use of European cybersecurity and open-source software by national administrations.

Achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe, in light of recent developments affecting access to advanced AI technologies: MEPs debate (part 2)

Achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe, in light of recent developments affecting access to advanced AI technologies: MEPs debate (part 1)

Political group speakers take the floor and Henna VIRKKUNEN, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, replies. On 3 June, the European Commission presented its strategy for European tech sovereignty, including an EU open-source strategy. This aims to develop and scale critical technologies, infrastructure, and data to strengthen the EU’s economy, security, and society. The strategy also seeks to reduce reliance on non-EU countries by diversifying supply chains and mitigating foreign interference. On the same day, MEPs debated digital sovereignty and resilience with Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen. While welcoming the proposal, they raised concerns about the EU-US data transfer agreement and called for demand-side measures and greater use of European cybersecurity and open-source software by national administrations.

Achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe, in light of recent developments affecting access to advanced AI technologies: one round of political group speakers and reply by Henna VIRKKUNEN

This News item shows extracts from the debate on achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe. On 3 June, the European Commission presented its strategy for European tech sovereignty, including an EU open-source strategy. This aims to develop and scale critical technologies, infrastructure, and data to strengthen the EU’s economy, security, and society. The strategy also seeks to reduce reliance on non-EU countries by diversifying supply chains and mitigating foreign interference. On the same day, MEPs debated digital sovereignty and resilience with Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen. While welcoming the proposal, they raised concerns about the EU-US data transfer agreement and called for demand-side measures and greater use of European cybersecurity and open-source software by national administrations.

Achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe: extracts from the debate

Henna VIRKKUNEN, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, opens the debate on achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe. This transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery. On 3 June, the European Commission unveiled its strategy for European tech sovereignty, including an EU open-source initiative. This aims to boost critical technologies, infrastructure, and data to enhance the EU’s economy, security, and society while reducing reliance on non-EU countries. On the same day, MEPs debated digital sovereignty with Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, welcoming the proposal but raising concerns about the EU-US data transfer agreement and calling for more demand-side measures and use of European cybersecurity and open-source software.

Achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe, in light of recent developments affecting access to advanced AI technologies: opening statements by Henna VIRKKUNEN, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission

MEPs debate with the Commission the need for targeted criminal provisions and increased platform responsibility to tackle harmful online behaviour. The Commission recently presented its action plan against cyberbullying, built around a support app, the coordination of national approaches, and the prevention of cyberbullying by encouraging safer digital practices. The Digital Services Act introduced stronger protection for people targeted by harassment and bullying, including ensuring that non-consensual private images and other abusive content can be quickly flagged and taken down. The closing statement is made by Glenn MICALLEF, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport.

The need for targeted criminal provisions and platforms’ responsibility to effectively address cyberbullying and online harassment: closing statement by Glenn MICALLEF, European Commissioner

MEPs debate with the Commission the need for targeted criminal provisions and increased platform responsibility to tackle harmful online behaviour. The Commission recently presented its action plan against cyberbullying, built around a support app, the coordination of national approaches, and the prevention of cyberbullying by encouraging safer digital practices. The Digital Services Act introduced stronger protection for people targeted by harassment and bullying, including ensuring that non-consensual private images and other abusive content can be quickly flagged and taken down.

digital services act (T)

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