BRUSSELS (AFP) – Internet retailer Amazon said on Wednesday it had launched a legal challenge in an European Union (EU) court against Brussels designating it as a very large online platform coming under stringent new rules.
The European Commission in April presented a list of 19 online companies it said met the criteria for that designation. Amazon was on it, along with Twitter, TikTok, and services from Apple, Google, Meta and Microsoft.
From August 25, they will be required to follow rules set out in the European Union’s new Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to curb illegal Internet content and disinformation.
One requirement is that they undergo an independent annual audit carried out on measures that the platforms and search engines use to fight disinformation, hate speech and counterfeits.
Another is that they open up their algorithms to the commission and offer approved researchers access to their data.
They also have to conduct risk analyses for illegal content on their services and come up with mitigation measures.
Those appearing on the EU’s list of very large online platforms or search engines reached or surpassed a threshold stipulated in the DSA of 45 million active monthly users in Europe.
