In a strategic move to adhere to the upcoming European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced significant changes to its platforms. These modifications include providing the EU users the chronological order of Reels and Stories and non-personalized search results.
Meta's decision comes ahead of the DSA's enforcement on larger websites such as Instagram and Facebook, both of which are classified as "extensive online social media platforms" by the European Union. In response to this legislative framework, Meta has launched a collaborative effort with over 1,000 people to build solutions that meet the standards of the new legislation. The DSA, in particular, stresses developing systems that do not rely on user profiling.
The company expressed its commitment to providing the European community with alternatives for consuming content on various sections of Facebook and Instagram. This includes Reels, Stories, and the search feature, which will now be devoid of Meta's ranking mechanisms. Users in the EU can browse Stories and Reels chronologically from only the accounts they follow from most recent to oldest. Similarly, search results will be exclusively based on the user's precise query, with no impact from Meta's algorithms.
The exclusion of another Meta platform, Threads, from starting in the EU is an intriguing feature of this development. This decision results from the 27-nation bloc's rigorous data protection standards.
According to European parliamentarians, the DSA will improve user safety, create a robust framework for transparency and responsibility within online social media platforms, and create a single regulatory system across the EU.
Penalties for breaking the DSA can be severe, with fines of up to 6% of a company's annual global revenue. This might cost tech titans billions of dollars in financial implications. Repeated noncompliance may result in a ban on operating within the EU, which has a large consumer base of 450 million people.
The DSA will go into effect on August 25th for 19 key websites, including notable platforms such as Amazon Store, Apple App Store, Google Play, Maps and Shopping, LinkedIn, X.com (Twitter), and YouTube.
Meta intends to comply with the DSA's standards to align itself with the regulatory landscape and provide its European user base with a more personalized and user-centric experience. The impact of these changes in constructing a more accountable and trustworthy online environment within the EU will be shown in the future.
Read next: Here Are the Top Ten YouTube Videos With the Most Views
Meta's decision comes ahead of the DSA's enforcement on larger websites such as Instagram and Facebook, both of which are classified as "extensive online social media platforms" by the European Union. In response to this legislative framework, Meta has launched a collaborative effort with over 1,000 people to build solutions that meet the standards of the new legislation. The DSA, in particular, stresses developing systems that do not rely on user profiling.
The company expressed its commitment to providing the European community with alternatives for consuming content on various sections of Facebook and Instagram. This includes Reels, Stories, and the search feature, which will now be devoid of Meta's ranking mechanisms. Users in the EU can browse Stories and Reels chronologically from only the accounts they follow from most recent to oldest. Similarly, search results will be exclusively based on the user's precise query, with no impact from Meta's algorithms.
The exclusion of another Meta platform, Threads, from starting in the EU is an intriguing feature of this development. This decision results from the 27-nation bloc's rigorous data protection standards.
Understanding the Digital Services Act (DSA)
The Digital Services Act, or DSA, is a revolutionary piece of European legislation that limits the spread of illegal content and disinformation while promoting advertising transparency. The DSA, at its foundation, requires enormous social media platforms to actively locate and identify misleading information.According to European parliamentarians, the DSA will improve user safety, create a robust framework for transparency and responsibility within online social media platforms, and create a single regulatory system across the EU.
Penalties for breaking the DSA can be severe, with fines of up to 6% of a company's annual global revenue. This might cost tech titans billions of dollars in financial implications. Repeated noncompliance may result in a ban on operating within the EU, which has a large consumer base of 450 million people.
The DSA will go into effect on August 25th for 19 key websites, including notable platforms such as Amazon Store, Apple App Store, Google Play, Maps and Shopping, LinkedIn, X.com (Twitter), and YouTube.
Navigating EU Regulations with Strategic Changes
Meta's decision to introduce chronological order for Stories and Reels and unbiased search results is a planned response to the approaching Digital Services Act of the European Union. This regulatory framework represents a concerted effort to combat misinformation and ensure digital openness.Meta intends to comply with the DSA's standards to align itself with the regulatory landscape and provide its European user base with a more personalized and user-centric experience. The impact of these changes in constructing a more accountable and trustworthy online environment within the EU will be shown in the future.
Read next: Here Are the Top Ten YouTube Videos With the Most Views
