Almost all of us use the internet, to find information, book travel or shop online. Digital services make life easier for people and companies, but they also entail risks, such as encouraging the spread of illegal goods, services and content online. Parliament has played a key role in making the internet safer for us all – ending the ‘digital Wild West’.
Demonstrating its agenda-setting powers, Parliament put pressure on the European Commission to come up with a proposal for new legislation to protect consumers. It then shaped key areas of the legislation, the Digital Services Act (DSA), in force since 2022. Firstly, it successfully amended the text to provide for stronger protection for minors. It ensured online platforms cannot use minors’ personal data to target advertising. Parliament also made sure intermediary service providers have to explain user restrictions in a way that minors can understand.
With the internet’s increasing reach into our lives, some have used it to harass and bully others. Parliament secured better protection for victims of such cyber-violence, obliging online platforms to take down illegal content without undue delay. It also insisted that users must have the right to seek compensation for damage or loss suffered through infringement of obligations established under the DSA. Parliament also ensured annual risk assessments carried out by larger platforms take account of actual or foreseeable adverse effects on fundamental rights, gender-based violence or the protection of public health or a person’s physical and mental wellbeing.
The resulting DSA legislation is one of the most important laws regulating the digital sphere in recent years and applies directly in EU countries. Together with the Digital Markets Act, it seeks to create a safer digital environment where our fundamental rights are protected and companies can compete on equal terms. Both acts entered into force in November 2022.
To make the internet a safer place, Parliament used both its law-making and agenda-setting powers. Parliament’s powers fall broadly into six, often overlapping, domains: law-making, the budget, scrutiny of the executive, external relations, and, to a lesser extent, constitutional affairs and agenda-setting. This graphic shows more examples of areas where Parliament used one or more of its different powers to influence legislation:
For a fuller picture of the European Parliament’s activity over the past five years, take a look at our publication: Examples of Parliament’s impact: 2019 to 2024: Illustrating the powers of the European Parliament, from which this case is drawn.
Comments are closed for this post.