The DSA also requires platforms to identify and mitigate systemic risks arising from their use of AIs and to open up their data to external researchers. This move is seen as a step towards reducing the information asymmetry that adtech giants have exploited to their advantage. The ability to switch off profiling-based content recommendations is seen as a significant step towards unbundling platform power, although the impact of increased user empowerment may not lead to immediate drastic changes.
Key takeaways:
- Thanks to the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), users of major social networks like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat can now decline personalized content feeds based on tracking and switch to a more chronological news feed.
- These changes are being rolled out globally as tech giants streamline elements of their compliance. Facebook, for instance, launched a chronological new Feeds tab ahead of the DSA compliance deadline.
- YouTube has also announced that users with the 'watch history' feature turned off won't receive next video recommendations based on their viewing history, a change seemingly driven by the DSA.
- The DSA, along with the Digital Markets Act, is a substantial piece of regulation that places more demands on platforms, including requiring them to identify and mitigate systemic risks from their use of AIs and open up their data to external researchers.