EC Urges US to Help Regulate Big Platforms

The U.S. should help the EU "contain the immense power" of big digital companies, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday at Davos Agenda Week. For digitization to be successful, governments must tackle the darker sides of the digital world such as the storming of the U.S. Capitol, she said. The business model of online platforms "has an impact -- and not only on free and fair competition, but also on our democracies, our security and on the quality of our information ... We want it clearly laid down that internet companies take responsibility for the manner in which they disseminate, promote and remove content." The Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act are intended to be "our new rulebook for our digital market" (see 2012230096), Von der Leyen said, inviting the U.S. to join the initiatives.