28 Aug 2023

Can the EU's new rules really rein in the worst of Big Tech?

From Nine To Noon, 9:05 am on 28 August 2023
Gerard de Graaf, social media logos

Photo: Supplied, Pixabay

Some of the world's biggest tech companies are now subject to new laws in European Union that are aimed at minimising harmful online content while protecting users' privacy.

Last Friday the 19 largest platforms in the world - including the likes of Meta, Google, Amazon, Alibaba and TikTok - became subject to the EU's Digital Services Act.

It requires them to do things like flag illegal online content and products, ban targeted ads and so-called 'dark patterns' that manipulate or trick users, introduce transparency measures, and mitigate the risk of disinformation, election manipulation and cyber violence and harm to women and children.

Non-compliance could see fines of up to six percent of global turnover - and it's expected the new law will have a flow on effect outside the European Union.

So have the platforms moved to make the required changes?

And how has the new legislation been greeted in the United States, where most of the Big Tech companies are based?

Kathryn speaks to the EU's envoy to the US, Gerard de Graaf, who is based in Silicon Valley.

He's here for the Diplosphere Conference - focused on what the advance of AI means for all of us -  that's happening in Wellington tomorrow.