Nick Clegg, Facebook: “The EU risks being left behind, but with the US it can change the Internet”

Yes to regulations: Facebook social networking site She is convinced of that. But beware: The EU does not end up allowing itself to “swallow” the rules and fall behind the world’s great powers, particularly the United States and China. The future of the Internet hinges on dynamism and openness, away from paradigms that impose constraints instead. he is Today, Europe has a great opportunity to play in this sense: cooperation with the United States of America. Nick Clegg, former British Vice President, today Vice President of Global Affairs and Communications at Facebook, Opens with these suggestions Two-day workshops organized by the Zuckerberg-based company, thanks to the participation of many experts in the sector, to evaluate the DSA and DMA, the new web legislation under discussion in Brussels.

that Digital Services Act (DSA) Digital Markets Act (DMA), the future pillars of Internet regulation in Europe (proposed by the European Commission on 15 December 2020 and now the subject of debate between politicians in the European Parliament and the European Council), is set to dominate the debate on technology policy in the European Union for the next two years now known. That what emerges will affect the next twenty years is an equally common sentiment. What trends to grasp and winning intuition to put in place are less clear. This is the place Clegg has come into his (i.e., Facebook’s) vision. With a premise: “Governments around the world are making proposals on every aspect – he pointed out – from privacy to content, to portability through to online elections, right down to the way data can be stored, shared and widely used. Lad. We are convinced that a file positive step. They are actually too important problems to be handled by private companies alone, which is why Facebook has always publicly championed the need for regulation“.

An open model that must be preserved: transparency and accountability at the center

While it is true that proposals Dsa and Dma represent today “A big problem” For European companies and companies operating in the region, which requires an in-depth discussion of actions (which is why we are talking about at least a few years of comparisons), it is also true that the matter – or the future of the Internet – is compared with Different and conflicting international visions.
Clegg He noted the European interest in “maintaining an open and globally accessible Internet, with due regard for security and respect for human rights,” as it feltBiden administration. “Together – he indicated -, The United States and Europe can create the basis for a broader global consensusBut the open internet model is not so trivial that it can be put into practice in the face of “threats” that are based instead on closure, control, and censorship.

At the same time, the “force” on the data should be responsible: “It is Right to impose different and stricter obligations on larger platforms than smaller startupspointed out Clegg. At the same time, we welcome more data reporting and systems control, rather than the detailed management of individual content, in front of the larger platforms. “Pushing towards the greatest Transparency and accountability Which motivates a large part of the EU legislative proposal is basically correct and welcome”, noted the former Deputy Prime Minister. Then he elaborated Facebook has been moving in this direction for some time, with persistent reports about transparency, news control, and content abuseI.

“Let’s not play against innovation and openness”

But thinking about rules and regulations should not expose the EU to “downside” risks in relation to major global competitors. to CleggThe legislator must not lose sight of at least two essential points: The need to innovate and protect the Internet as a whole.
Among our first concerns in front of proposals DMA – Define – There was the idea that policy and law makers could end up “in the weeds” of product design. I think, for example, of Detailed provisions about how users can access various applications, defined in a way that risks scaling product performance and preventing the constant iteration and experimentation that drives technological progress.”

Another point: imagined legislative proposals to avoid cases of “self-preference” by large corporations in the use of their services. Right Intentions – Explained Clegg – which, however, they have to deal with Consumer benefits testing to ensure that they do not exclude newcomers who may provide better and cheaper servicesHe added: “Companies that are branching out into new markets can be good for competition – he added -: Think about it. Orange launches Orange Bank To compete with banks or broadband companies that provide television services to compete with broadcasters.”

In short: in balance, According to a Facebook rumor, DMA is now having a double face. on one side descriptive surplusOn the other hand, I Margins to expand legislative possibilities,” for example – indicates Clegg To foster a dynamic and evolving digital marketplace and dismantle data silos, for example by indicating how data is shared securely between businesses while respecting individual privacy.”

Free streaming of EU and US data

In all of this a priority:Avoid building organizational silos – Warn Nick Clegg -, Especially Those that prevent cross-border data flow. Seamless data flows are the lifeblood of the open Internet.” It is clear that the reference to the latest European court rulings, which for example cast doubt on Legality of data transfers between the European Union and the United States. or to certain provisions in the proposed regulations that would allow local laws to conflict with European rules, thus creating the DMA and DSA mini national realities.

“Protecting our economies by ensuring freedom Data flows between the European Union and the United States It must be one An urgent priority on both sides of the Atlantic, to protect the pact that connects us and the post-pandemic recovery needs‘, he commented. By insinuating that it would not be beneficial for anyone to allow good intentions to cause, perhaps unintentionally, the fragmentation of the Internet that can be very harmful.

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