Twitter agrees to a "blank" audit in the face of new EU rules, according to Thierry Breton

2023-04-23T12:41:49.580Z

Highlights: The new rules will apply to platforms with more than 25,000 users. They will be required to remove any content that violates the rules. The rules will also apply to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The new rules are expected to be implemented by the end of the year, according to a statement from the European Commission. The European Commission says the rules will be applied to all social media platforms, not just those with large numbers of users. The Commission says it will also be applying the new rules to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Elon Musk agrees to a "blank" audit of Twitter by the European Commission before the entry into force in early September of new more restrictive rules for digital platforms,...

Participating in the program Political Questions on France inter, Mr. Breton, in charge of the internal market and in particular the digital, promised to disclose next week the names of the "so-called systemic platforms" that will be particularly concerned by a new European legislation intended to eliminate lawless areas on the internet.

These platforms, "there are between 19 and 25. These are the ones that have more than 45 million users on the European continent", or 10% of the EU population, noted Mr. Breton, welcoming a text that "will fundamentally change the respect of individuals online".

The platforms concerned "will have to radically change their operation very quickly if they want to continue operating in Europe," he said.

"We will check what happens in their algorithms (...) how many moderators they have, if the moderators are in each of the languages of the Union", listed the Commissioner.

Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton in Brussels on March 16, 2023 © Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / AFP/Archives

He said he had proposed to these giants, "before September", when the legislation will apply to them, "to go and do (blank) audits", that is to say beforehand, without consequences in case of infringement.

"Imagine that Elon Musk has accepted" such an audit of Twitter which the billionaire recently took control, added Thierry Breton, saying he intends to "go to California to participate in this audit myself".

The Commission is in the process of setting up a team of a hundred "extremely advanced specialists" in digital and algorithms, who will be responsible for carrying out these audits, revealed Mr. Breton.

The Digital Services Act (DSA) imposes a long list of rules on social networks, marketplaces and search engines. These rules include the obligation to act "promptly" to remove any illegal content as soon as the platform becomes aware of it, or the obligation to inform judicial authorities when they suspect a "serious criminal offence".

They also include prohibitions, such as those on exploiting users' "sensitive" data (gender, political leanings, religious affiliation, etc.) for targeted advertising. And transparency obligations, such as the publication of the main parameters used by recommender systems.

Twitter agrees to a "blank" audit in the face of new EU rules, according to Thierry Breton

Trends 24h

Latest