The Comissão Europeia tem sido rigorosa com as big technologies. In the most recent move, the organization launched a metadata investigation to hear Instagram and Facebook, which drives victim behaviors among children and adolescents, increasing the chances of public mental health issues .
Concerns about the misuse of social media exist at some point. This is why the authorities of the European Union have requested laws to resolve this type of problem, as requested by the approval of the Ato de Serviços Digitais (DSA, in English).
The DSA is legislation that protects users from nightly activities in the digital environment, such as disinformation camps, fraud, Internet harassment and child abuse. This is why online companies are striving to adopt preventive measures in our European Union countries.
According to Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Markets, a formal procedure against the meta was initiated by the suspicion that the company is not in charge of the DSA as expected:
We are not accustomed to saying that (the Meta) has enough time to assume the obligations of the DSA to mitigate the risks of negative effects for the physical and mental health of young Europeans on the Facebook and Instagram platforms.
Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Markets
Efeito “toca do coelho”
The Comissão Europeia is particularly concerned by the effect of the shaman “toca do coelho”, metafora extraída da obra Alice no Country of Maravilhas which refers to the behavior of a person who takes action against converse or conspiracy theories to the point of becoming reality.
Com base nisso, like European authorities will focus on an investigation with the three main points:
- If the theme is designed to prevent Facebook and Instagram from being used to explore the frequencies and inexperience of small people, so as to avoid violent or “body touching” behaviors;
- this Meta is aware of the requirements of DSA to avoid those who have access to inappropriate content for their members;
- This is the DSA's obligation to ensure high levels of privacy and security for little people, particularly with respect to compliance with content recommendation systems.
Hair purchase The Guardiansent the rest of the communication concerning the investigation launched by the Comissão Europeia:
We believe young audiences have safe and appropriate online experiences, and we've spent a decade developing more than 50 activities and policies to protect them. This is a challenge that the whole industry is in contact with and we are able to share details of our work with the European Commission.
As the European authorities understand that Meta is not included in the obligations of the DSA, the company can be multiplied with a value equivalent to 6% of its annual worldwide revenue. Considering that the end of the year 2023 with revenues of 135 US dollars will correspond to 8 US dollar bills in the current scenario.
