3 October 2023, Brussels, Belgium – DOT Europe is disappointed by the results of the vote on the European Parliament’s mandate for the European Media Freedom Act. The position adopted by parliamentarians on Article 17 does not reflect in any way the stance taken during the Digital Services Act debate in January 2022.
As highlighted during the debate, the text voted upon is not finalised. Despite the inclusion of welcome safeguards in the CULT committee report, concerning amendments have unfortunately been adopted in Article 17, such as the obligation for very large online platforms to carry potentially infringing content for 24 hours on their service.
“This vote is a stark departure from previous positions adopted by the European Parliament and will make it more difficult for online platforms to effectively moderate harmful content, including disinformation.” said Siada El Ramly, Director General of DOT Europe.
DOT Europe hopes discussions with the Council rectify these concerning developments in the text, ultimately resulting in a stronger alignment with the existing legislative framework.
ENDS
For more information from DOT Europe contact:
+32(0) 472 26 83 02
Notes to the editor:
DOT Europe (previously called EDiMA) is the voice of the leading internet companies in Europe. DOT Europe’s mission is to develop ideas and support policy initiatives that foster an innovative, open and safe internet for Europe’s citizens and businesses. More information is available here: https://doteurope.eu/
DOT Europe represents 23 of the leading internet companies: Airbnb, Amazon, Apple, Discord, Dropbox, eBay, Etsy, Expedia Group, Google, Indeed, King, Meta, Microsoft, Mozilla, Nextdoor, OLX, Shopify, Snap, Spotify, TikTok, Twitter, Yahoo.
Its members produce and manage a variety of products, services and applications including browsers, entertainment platforms, social networks, marketplaces and review sites. More information is available here: https://doteurope.eu/members
