AIG Newsletter 20 May 2024

News

In this week's edition: The EC signs agreement with Ofcom to collaborate on enforcing the DSA and the UK's Online Safety Act, and publishes its management plans outlining 2024 priorities for key DGs. Meanwhile, the EP passes a resolution urging action on addictive design in online services, calling for robust enforcement of existing consumer laws and assessing regulatory gaps. The OECD weighs in on rapid tech advancements with its Digital Economy Outlook 2024. The Council approves conclusions supporting influencers as online content creators, inviting the EC to develop a comprehensive policy approach. Finally, the EC marks the second anniversary of the Better Internet for Kids strategy by releasing an age assurance tool and a policy monitor report to promote children's online safety.

COMMISSION SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH OFCOM ON DSA

On 13 May, the EC and Ofcom, the UK's media regulator, signed an agreement to collaborate on enforcing the DSA and the UK Online Safety Act. Both pieces of legislation cover common ground such as safeguarding minors online, age-appropriate design of technologies, transparency requirements for online platforms, risk assessments, and examining the societal impacts of algorithms. Under this arrangement, the two bodies will facilitate technical expert discussions, joint training for their respective staff members, and an exchange of best practice guidelines amongst other cooperative measures.

COMMISSION PUBLISHES DG MANAGEMENT PLANS

The EC has unveiled the management plans for its DGs, outlining the main actions and activities for the forthcoming year and how they will contribute to achieving the Commission's overall objectives. These annual management plans are derived from the Commission's strategic plan and work programme. Each department prepares its own plan, detailing the primary undertakings for the year and explaining their alignment with the strategic objectives. The management plans for the DGs of interest are linked below.

• Management plan 2024 - Communications Networks, Content and Technology
• Management plan 2024 - Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
• Management plan 2024 - Research and Innovation
• Management plan 2024 - Competition
• Management plan 2024 - Justice and Consumers

EC PUBLISHES RESOLUTION ON ADDICTIVE DESIGN

The EP passed a non-legislative resolution highlighting issues associated with the addictive design of online services. The resolution considers that existing EU legislation does not sufficiently address addictive design, leading to legal uncertainty. It calls on the EC to ensure robust enforcement of existing laws, review and strengthen the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation, adopt guidelines under the DSA, and assess regulatory gaps regarding consumer vulnerabilities, dark patterns, and addictive digital service features.

The resolution welcomes the EC's ongoing Fitness Check of EU consumer law as an opportunity to evaluate addictive design issues. It highlights the need to review legal concepts, introduce prohibitions for harmful practices, consider the concept of 'digital asymmetry', ensure 'transactional decision' covers relevant consumer decisions, and explore reversing the burden of proof for addictive practices. It calls for a 'right not to be disturbed', enabling consumers to turn off attention-seeking features. The resolution underlines the effects of recommender systems, the need for less addictive alternatives and enhanced user control. It urges promoting ethical design, awareness-raising, research, international policy action, and stakeholder consultation and collaboration.

OECD PUBLISHES DIGITAL ECONOMY OUTLOOK 2024

The OECD's Digital Economy Outlook 2024 (Volume 1) details the rapid advancements in digital technologies and their impact on society and the economy. It highlights the pivotal role of data in driving progress while addressing concerns around privacy and online safety. The report underscores the outperformance of the ICT sectors, the need for responsible AI innovation, the significance of next-generation wireless networks, the uneven diffusion of digital technologies and skills, the extraordinary experiences enabled by immersive technologies like VR while emphasising online safety, and the rising negative behaviours in digital environments, particularly affecting girls.

COUNCIL APPROVES CONCLUSIONS ON INFLUENCERS

The Council has approved conclusions on supporting influencers as online content creators. The document acknowledges the growing importance of influencers in the media landscape and emphasises the need for policy dialogue, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, supporting awareness of their impact, and improving media literacy. The conclusions also encourage supporting representative organisations for influencers and facilitating the exchange of best practices among organisations that support them. 

The Council is also inviting the EC to develop a comprehensive approach concerning influencers across various policy areas. It highlights the importance of responsible behaviour, self-regulation, and media literacy. The document suggests leveraging EU funds and programmes to support organisations working on improving media literacy and responsible behaviour of influencers. The EC is also encouraged to keep influencers informed about EU media policies and initiatives in accessible formats and languages. Additionally, the conclusions stress the need to consider the impact of influencers, particularly on minors, within the broader context of the Better Internet for Kids (BIK+) strategy.

BETTER INTERNET FOR KIDS STRATEGY TURNS TWO 

To celebrate the second anniversary of the Better Internet For Kids strategy (BIK+), the EC has released several resources on the BIK Portal aimed at promoting online child safety and empowerment. These include a self-assessment tool for industry on age assurance, the latest BIK Policy Monitor Report evaluating digital policies' progress and gaps in Member States, and an updated collection of EU formal texts concerning children in the digital world. These resources align with the EC's commitment to children's rights and safety online, bolstered by the DSA's new strict rules. Initiatives like an EU-wide proof of age further underscore the ongoing efforts to ensure a better internet for children and young people in Europe.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

21 May: 6G Global Summit (Ofcom)

21 May: Interact Conference (IAB Europe)

21 May: Digital Society: Life Online in the Shadow of Ireland's Tech Boom (IIEA)

21 May: The digital future: Europe's role in the global battle for AI (FORES) & Mr Hans van Mierlo Stichting

22 May: Patent protection for EU funding beneficiaries - Digital communication (EPO & European IP Helpdesk)

22 May: How open digital ecosystems can drive competition in Europe (CODE)

28 May: Preservation of Digital Geospatial Records, the Cornerstone of Europe's Digital Decade (DG Connect)

29 May: ECHA IT Days (ECHA)

29 May: Global Summit (AI for good)

30 May: A Tale of Two Blocs: Understanding European and Chinese Approaches on Regulating Digital (CERRE)

3 June: INDTECH 2024 (EU)

4 June: Be fit for digital age (EU-OSHA)

4 June: AI Governance Global 2024 (IAPP)

5 June: e-IRG Workshop: Sustainable e-Infrastructures for research results valorisation (Belgian EU Presidency)

5 June: Cyber 2024 (Chatham House)

5 June: Digitalising public sector services: Workshop on digital transformation of public sector services (Interreg Europe)

13 June: Digital Ocean Forum (DOF) 2024 (Belgian EU Presidency)

Stand: 20.05.2024