The European Commission has set its sights on Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, in the latest in a series of duels aimed at regulating big tech companies. Brussels suspects that Microsoft may have violated the Digital Services Act (DSA) by failing to properly moderate content produced by its AI systems on Bing, Copilot, and Image Creator. The commission has requested company documents to understand how Microsoft handled the spread of misinformation, deepfakes, and attempts to influence the upcoming European Parliament elections. This move comes just days before voters across the European Union go to the polls, raising concerns about the potential for technology to manipulate political outcomes.
Changing Strategy Towards Big Tech
In recent months, the European Commission has shifted its strategy when dealing with tech giants. While sanctions remain an option for companies that do not comply with regulations, the commission now aims to closely examine how big tech operates and make modifications as needed before imposing fines. One example of this approach is the Digital Services Act, which aims to enforce transparency in algorithms and advertising, combat online harassment and disinformation, protect minors, prevent user profiling, and eliminate dark patterns on the web. By identifying 22 multinational companies as targets for regulation, including Google, Meta, Bing, and others, Brussels is putting pressure on these companies to cooperate with its regulatory regime.
The European Commission, under the leadership of President Ursula von der Leyen, must demonstrate that the existing digital laws and regulations produce positive outcomes. In addition to the DSA, the commission has introduced several other regulations, such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the AI Act, the Data Governance Act (DGA), and the Data Act. These regulations address data protection, the use of data in the public and private sectors, and the dominance of big tech in online markets. The commission is also working on regulations related to health data spaces, cybersecurity, digital identity, and operational resilience in finance and insurance sectors.
Brussels has taken a strong stance against digital flagships from the United States and China, imposing fines and conducting investigations to ensure compliance with regulations. Some successful actions have already been taken, such as ByteDance suspending a gamification feature on TikTok Lite following its release in France and Spain. However, the future of regulatory efforts remains uncertain and complex, as the EU’s digital bureaucracy is a vast and intricate system to manage.
As the European Commission continues to engage in duels with big tech giants, it is clear that regulatory scrutiny is increasing. Companies like Microsoft must navigate the evolving regulatory landscape to ensure compliance with digital regulations in Europe. The commission’s focus on transparency, accountability, and user protection underscores the importance of ethical practices in the digital realm. By staying vigilant and adaptable, tech companies can avoid falling afoul of the stringent regulations enforced by the European Commission.