Leading global technology firms are hastening to implement new measures ranging from restricting personalized ads to revising policies on hate speech, in anticipation of the European Union’s (EU) newly introduced regulations, the Financial Times reported.
Set to take effect this Friday, these landmark regulations are delineated under the Digital Services Act, a historic legislation aimed at overseeing digital content. This Act, which garnered approval in April 2022, places specific obligations on 19 major platforms, including Instagram, Google, and TikTok.
Key features of the new regulations include a ban on ad targeting based on religion, gender, or sexual preferences. The rules also mandate platforms to disclose their efforts in addressing misinformation or propaganda and offer heightened protections for minors.
The rubber meets the road today, August 25, as companies begin to furnish risk assessments outlining their strategies to comply with the new stipulations. This impending deadline has expedited shifts in the commercial practices of tech conglomerates. Notably, platform X (formerly Twitter) rolled out a unique hate speech policy prohibiting users from endorsing any hateful symbols, including the Nazi insignia.
In the wake of these changes, social media giants like Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok have provided millions of users the option to disable certain targeted content, which was previously fundamental in retaining user engagement.
Additionally, these platforms, along with Google, have limited targeted ads to those under 18, while furnishing users with deeper insights into the reasons behind being targeted with specific promotional content.
Nick Cage, Vice President of Global Affairs at Meta, noted that the company has assembled one of its largest teams in history. Comprising over a thousand individuals, this team is laser-focused on navigating the new directives. In a blog post earlier this week, Cage emphasized the significance of these changes not just for European tech enterprises but for any company operating within the EU.
