TODAY, EDiMA, the voice of the leading internet companies, has called for illegal content and harmful content to be distinguished in the Digital Services Act.
In the latest paper in its landmark Online Responsibility Framework Series, the association of 19 leading internet companies recommends focusing on illegal content in the Digital Services Act and highlights the risks of attempting to tackle harmful-but-lawful content through the same legal instrument.
Siada El Ramly, Director General of EDiMA, said:
“We fully believe that the DSA can be a game changer in improving online content moderation in the EU. To make this a reality, we believe it should focus on illegal content, where some legal definitions exist to trigger action. Harmful content is much more complex and requires greater definition and nuance.”
The paper, “A Legal Basis to Act”, is the latest in a series expanding on EDiMA’s Online Responsibility Framework. The Framework, launched earlier this year, is a unique proposal based on extensive consultation with EDiMA’s significant membership. It provides practical solutions for tackling illegal activity and content online, and supports the European Commission’s desire to create a “modern legal framework to ensure the safety of users online and to allow innovative digital businesses to grow.”
Today’s paper notes that a focus on the removal of harmful content could have severe impacts on the freedom of expression, and run into difficulties given the variety of approaches to these issues across member states.
El Ramly, EDiMA’s Director General, continued:
“We should continue to look at how harmful content can be defined and better tackled to ensure that the nuance is given due consideration. At the same time, the DSA can already provide a more robust framework to tackle illegal content.
Ultimately, addressing the complexities and sensitivities of harmful content across the 27 jurisdictions of the EU requires open dialogue and information sharing among multiple stakeholders, and in particular close and increased cooperation with national authorities.”
ENDS
Press contact:
Ronan Breen, Account Director
Red Flag
+32471753053
ronan.breen@thisisredflag.com
For more information from EDiMA contact:
+32 2 626 1990
info@edima-eu.org
Notes to editor:
- Download the paper “A Legal Basis to Act” here: https://doteurope.eu/library/edima-online-responsibility-framework-series-a-legal-basis-to-act/
- The “A Legal Basis to Act” paper is the latest in a landmark series of papers expanding on EDiMA’s Online Responsibility Framework. The Framework was launched earlier this year after extensive consultation with EDiMA’s significant membership. More information is available here: https://doteurope.eu/policy-areas/online-responsibility-framework/
- EDiMA is the voice of the leading internet companies and the most popular internet products in Europe. EDiMA stands for an internet which enables companies to grow and allows customers to make the most of the opportunities it offers. More information is available here: https://doteurope.eu/
- EDiMA represents the leading online marketplaces, browsers, entertainment platforms, review sites and social networks, which offer consumers some of the most popular internet products every single day.
- The members include Airbnb, Allegro, Amazon, Apple, eBay, Etsy, Expedia, Facebook, Google, King, Microsoft, Mozilla, OLX, Snap, Spotify, TikTok, Twitter, Verizon Media and Yelp. More information is available here: https://doteurope.eu/members/
