The European Institutions reached a political agreement on the Digital Services Act on Saturday night. Again, the EU has pipped the UK to the post on major tech regulation.
We don't yet have the final text of the DSA (it is being "fine tuned"), so it's hard to be critical of it yet. Broadly speaking, I much prefer the approach of the DSA to the Online Safety Bill - particularly the focus on illegal content rather than on "legal but harmful" content.
A question I'll be watching closely is how far the UK will now choose to diverge from the EU as the OSB makes its way through Parliament. At a presentation I gave this week I was asked whether I thought businesses might just comply with EU rules and not bother with the UK. I think they might.
In case you hadn't heard, Elon Musk bought Twitter. He wants it to be a bastion of free speech, without bots and with an edit button. I'm taking over / unders on how long this lasts.
The Government is planning to update the rules for broadcast, including taking an online harms approach to content through the further regulation of video on demand services. Online harms are everywhere!
Next week in Parliament
Parliament is prorogued ahead of the Queen's Speech.
What we've been reading and listening to
Bryan Burrough and John Helyar: Barbarians at the Gate
Our recent work
Webinar on the Online Safety Bill with Rt Hon Jeremy Wright QC MP
We hosted, with Wiggin LLP, a webinar on the Online Safety Bill. If you'd like to discuss what came out of it, drop me a line.
Online Safety Bill amendments
We've been working with a few clients on the likely changes to the Bill, and to support the drafting of potential amendments. If we can help, let us know.
If you'd like a conversation about how either Taso Advisory can support you, please just get in touch.
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