Cristian Terges, Romanian MEP, says: “Of course, people should hear and decide what they think is true or desirable, not state organs' Photo: Thierry Monass/Getty Images Europe
The European Union is accused of creating an Orwellian «Ministry of Truth» with a new plan to combat what it considers «disinformation» on the Internet.
In line with this ruling, the web -Bosses should prioritize advice provided to them by the EU-approved network of «trusted fact-tellers» and fact-checkers who track information posted online.
Cristian Terges, Romanian MEP, said the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA) gives it enough power to decide what content he thinks is true and what is not when it is posted on some of the biggest websites of the world.
He told The Telegraph: «The European Commission took a page from Orwell's 1984 and demanded that EU member states set up government-sponsored ministries of truth to ensure that wrong thoughts and forbidden words are not allowed in the digital space.
“Of course, in a democratic society, it is the public that hears or has access to all arguments, it is it that decides on the truth or attractiveness of certain facts, ideas or parties.
“Of course, it is the people who must hear and decide what they believed to be true or desirable, not by government authorities.»
EU members should create a network of «whistleblowers».
The regulation, which came into force on August 25, states that the 27 EU member states need to create a network of «trusted persons», that is, experts with previous experience in monitoring harmful or illegal content.
It is designed to establish new anti-hate speech, misinformation and counterfeiting standards on the Internet and must be followed by all major digital platforms.
New standards have been introduced to address the problem of companies such as Google, Amazon and Facebook. operate in Europe, but will be extended to websites and online platforms that attract 45 million monthly users.
Nineteen platforms, including Instagram and TikTok, have received special obligations under this regulation.
The EU's first major move to regulate big tech companies has forced Company X, formerly known as Twitter, to introduce a new hate speech policy that bans users to attack someone with «hateful images» such as the Nazi swastika.
It also bans targeted ads that are distributed to users based on their region, gender, or sexual preference, and introduces a mechanism for platforms to disclose what steps they are taking to combat alleged misinformation or propaganda.
The tech giants have been forced fill their ranks to work within the new bureaucracy empowered by the EU.
Facebook's Sir Nick Clegg announced that it has dedicated more than 1,000 employees, which he says are one of the «biggest cross-functional teams in our history,» to ensure compliance.
TikTok also announced that it has appointed more than 1,000 employees to enforce compliance.
Amazon and Zalando, the German online retailer, have filed lawsuits claiming they should not be considered «very large online platforms» under the regulations.
«The right to freedom of speech will not be affected»
EU officials argue that the system is not intended to infringe on the user's right to freedom of speech or expression.
They say whistleblowers will be appointed by national authorities set up by member states to ensure that their legal systems can enforce this law, thus distancing the EU from direct influence on content.
Representative Commission stated: “In accordance with the DSA, online platform providers must take the necessary technical and organizational measures to ensure that notifications sent by trusted message senders are given priority, processed and accepted without undue delay.
At the same time, nothing in the DSA obliges platforms to remove lawful content. On the contrary, the Digital Services Act will put an end to the current situation in which online intermediaries are not subject to any minimum standards and are not responsible for their content moderation practices.”
The trusted flagger scheme is not expected to will lead to some change. will be fully implemented by February 2024.
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