Open AccessREGULATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
Author(s) -
Balázs Bartóki-Gönczy
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
pro publico bono - magyar közigazgatás/pro publico bono – magyar közigazgatás
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2786-0760
pISSN - 2063-9058
DOI - 10.32575/ppb.2021.1.4
Subject(s) - incitement , social media , service provider , public relations , journalism , european union , internet privacy , state (computer science) , political science , business , general data protection regulation , service (business) , data protection act 1998 , law , marketing , computer science , algorithm , economic policy
Social media platforms are mainly characterised by private regulation. However, their direct and indirect impact on society has become such (fake news, hate speech, incitement to terrorism, data protection breaches, impact on the viability of professional journalism) that private regulatory mechanisms in place (often opaque and not transparent) seem to be inadequate. In the present paper, I would first address the problem of the legal classification of these services (media service provider vs. intermediary service provider), since the answer to this question is a prerequisite for any state intervention. I would then present the regulatory initiatives (with a critical approach) at the EU and national level which might shape the future of ‘social media platform’ regulation.