Probes of firms such as Apple, Meta and Google still in technical phase, EU digital head says
15 January 2025 - 14:43
byAgency Staff
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Brussels — The European Commission will fully enforce its rules governing social media and other large online platforms and hasn’t delayed any cases against US Big Tech, the EU digital chief said on Wednesday.
“There haven’t been any delays,” commission vice-president Henna Virkkunen said, referring to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which imposes antitrust obligations and the Digital Services Act (DSA), which covers content moderation.
Virkkunen said she had seen reports that the EU was delaying investigations of firms such as Apple, Meta and Google, but said the probes were still in a technical phase, which includes exchanges with companies, before decisions could be taken.
“We are fully enforcing the DMA and the DSA,” she said.
Virkkunen said the two Acts were powerful tools applying to all companies, including European companies, operating services in the EU to ensure a fair and safe online environment.
She also said the DSA was protecting, rather than limiting, freedom of speech.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said last week, while announcing Meta had scrapped US fact-checking programs, that Europe had an ever increasing number of laws “institutionalising censorship”.
Zuckerberg also called on US President-elect Donald Trump, who starts his second term on Monday, to stop the EU from fining US tech firms.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
EU ‘committed to enforcing social media rules’
Probes of firms such as Apple, Meta and Google still in technical phase, EU digital head says
Brussels — The European Commission will fully enforce its rules governing social media and other large online platforms and hasn’t delayed any cases against US Big Tech, the EU digital chief said on Wednesday.
“There haven’t been any delays,” commission vice-president Henna Virkkunen said, referring to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which imposes antitrust obligations and the Digital Services Act (DSA), which covers content moderation.
Virkkunen said she had seen reports that the EU was delaying investigations of firms such as Apple, Meta and Google, but said the probes were still in a technical phase, which includes exchanges with companies, before decisions could be taken.
“We are fully enforcing the DMA and the DSA,” she said.
Virkkunen said the two Acts were powerful tools applying to all companies, including European companies, operating services in the EU to ensure a fair and safe online environment.
She also said the DSA was protecting, rather than limiting, freedom of speech.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said last week, while announcing Meta had scrapped US fact-checking programs, that Europe had an ever increasing number of laws “institutionalising censorship”.
Zuckerberg also called on US President-elect Donald Trump, who starts his second term on Monday, to stop the EU from fining US tech firms.
Reuters
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