In a political investigation released by the House Judiciary Committee, the United States continued its war against European policymakers for their attempts to regulate Big Tech.
On Tuesday, the Republican-led committee indicated in its investigation that the 2022 European Digital Services Act (DSA) is, in fact, censorship.
The Dutch organisation, the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), was called “censorious” for its recent expert-led discussion ahead of Dutch elections on how to improve the DSA and better safeguard user rights.
According to the Volkskrant, the Judiciary Committee claims that the DSA, which is overseen in the Netherlands by the ACM, limits Americans’ freedom of expression.
More specifically, they argue that the law especially affects content related to U.S. politics, and that by pushing platforms to control this material, the DSA has crossed the line into restricting Americans’ free speech.
What are they mad about?
The DSA, enacted in 2022, is a piece of EU legislation that attempts to protect citizens from online threats by placing certain vital responsibilities on platforms.
This includes things like enhanced protection for minors, flagging illegal content, ad transparency, and more.
Dutch organisations and watchdogs, such as Bits of Freedom and Justice for Prosperity, have been involved in the development of this legislation from the start, and have a less-than-positive outlook on US attempts to undermine EU regulation on Big Tech.
The latest conference on the DSA, held in Amsterdam, touched on how platforms are circumventing DSA regulation and how the policy might not go far enough.
Clearly, the Judiciary Committee does not take kindly to these efforts. Their 160-page report repeatedly calls the DSA a campaign of “censorship” and an attempt to “control free speech.”
Not mincing words, are they?
The response
Speaking with the Volkskrant, Justice for Prosperity director Jelle Postma described the recent investigation by the committee as “pure intimidation.”
Believe it or not, Europeans don’t want to be regulated by what the US finds acceptable.
Postma indicated that the US reaction to the DSA might actually be a sign it’s working.
After all, when an administration that seems to relish in online manipulation is this upset about regulation, one can only assume that the law is on the right side of history.
In the meantime, the watchdog organisations certainly aren’t backing down. Releasing a joint statement, Bits of Freedom and Justice for Prosperity said, “If US companies want to operate in Europe, they have to comply with our legislation.”
Then again, complying is not something this administration is known for.
What do you think of the latest report? Let us know in the comments!
Platforms need to be held accountable for their content!
Go Netherlands and EU for enacting legislation reining in platforms!
The Kakistocracy (KakistoCRAZY) currently running (RUINING) the USA is in power not least because of platforms running their clickbaiting profit driven algorithms creating a downward spiral in posted material and public discourse.