Mark Scott
@markscott.bsky.social
Senior Resident Fellow, Atlantic Council’s Democracy + Tech Initiative. Weekly newsletter: www.digitalpolitics.co
<<Checks membership>> Dell, Huawei, IBM, Intel, Microsoft...
All those mighty powerhouses of European industry
All those mighty powerhouses of European industry
June 3, 2025 at 7:04 PM
<<Checks membership>> Dell, Huawei, IBM, Intel, Microsoft...
All those mighty powerhouses of European industry
All those mighty powerhouses of European industry
Short answer: they are a big policy nothing-burger.
No one is using them.
No one is using them.
May 31, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Short answer: they are a big policy nothing-burger.
No one is using them.
No one is using them.
*no extraterritorial content moderation outside of the EU (typo.)
As someone who has read all the risk assessments/audits, I find it amusing the DSA is framed as content removal legislation when it's mostly about making transparency the potential online harms associated with illegal content
As someone who has read all the risk assessments/audits, I find it amusing the DSA is framed as content removal legislation when it's mostly about making transparency the potential online harms associated with illegal content
February 19, 2025 at 8:04 PM
*no extraterritorial content moderation outside of the EU (typo.)
As someone who has read all the risk assessments/audits, I find it amusing the DSA is framed as content removal legislation when it's mostly about making transparency the potential online harms associated with illegal content
As someone who has read all the risk assessments/audits, I find it amusing the DSA is framed as content removal legislation when it's mostly about making transparency the potential online harms associated with illegal content
My bet would be on non extraterritorial content moderation outside the EU, and equally (like you) I don't see the DSA as a means to remove legal content, despite what, ahem, some may think...
February 18, 2025 at 9:49 PM
My bet would be on non extraterritorial content moderation outside the EU, and equally (like you) I don't see the DSA as a means to remove legal content, despite what, ahem, some may think...
I would have to triple check, but no, there are no globally-required provisions, only those that apply within the EU.
February 18, 2025 at 5:19 PM
I would have to triple check, but no, there are no globally-required provisions, only those that apply within the EU.
Hasn’t helped that most, including most DPAs and Commission have been unwilling to look East in their application of GDPR.
January 17, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Hasn’t helped that most, including most DPAs and Commission have been unwilling to look East in their application of GDPR.
Well no. That was what my newsletter was about.
January 7, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Well no. That was what my newsletter was about.
Yes, as I was referring to them within the context of the 2020 election and their response compared to what other platforms did.
If anything, Meta's decision today confirms my underlying message: platforms are done with content moderation.
If anything, Meta's decision today confirms my underlying message: platforms are done with content moderation.
January 7, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Yes, as I was referring to them within the context of the 2020 election and their response compared to what other platforms did.
If anything, Meta's decision today confirms my underlying message: platforms are done with content moderation.
If anything, Meta's decision today confirms my underlying message: platforms are done with content moderation.
Key question: who do I bill for the two late-nighters reading all these PDFs? #AskingForAFriend
December 11, 2024 at 5:28 PM
Key question: who do I bill for the two late-nighters reading all these PDFs? #AskingForAFriend
The DSA is not set up for short-term work, especially when it comes to foreign interference.
It's good a systemic-wide transparency via risk assessments and audits (combined with enforcement actions.) It's not good at responding to real-world events like this — that's not what it was designed to do
It's good a systemic-wide transparency via risk assessments and audits (combined with enforcement actions.) It's not good at responding to real-world events like this — that's not what it was designed to do
December 4, 2024 at 9:40 PM
The DSA is not set up for short-term work, especially when it comes to foreign interference.
It's good a systemic-wide transparency via risk assessments and audits (combined with enforcement actions.) It's not good at responding to real-world events like this — that's not what it was designed to do
It's good a systemic-wide transparency via risk assessments and audits (combined with enforcement actions.) It's not good at responding to real-world events like this — that's not what it was designed to do
Possibly. The thing with TikTok’s algorithms is that they behave so what differently to those of other platforms,’in my experience.
I guess my main point is this: we need evidence before we start throwing around claims of voter and electoral interference.
I guess my main point is this: we need evidence before we start throwing around claims of voter and electoral interference.
December 4, 2024 at 6:30 PM
Possibly. The thing with TikTok’s algorithms is that they behave so what differently to those of other platforms,’in my experience.
I guess my main point is this: we need evidence before we start throwing around claims of voter and electoral interference.
I guess my main point is this: we need evidence before we start throwing around claims of voter and electoral interference.
Gnargh. Forgot to include TikTok
Audit: sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2...
Audit implementation: sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2...
2023 risk assessment: sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2...
Audit: sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2...
Audit implementation: sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2...
2023 risk assessment: sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2...
https://sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2/zayvwlY_fjulyhwzuhy[/ljhwZthlaukjlkulzlp/DSA_H2_2024/TikTok-DSA-Audit-Assurance-Report-Sep-2024.pdf
December 3, 2024 at 8:28 PM
Gnargh. Forgot to include TikTok
Audit: sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2...
Audit implementation: sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2...
2023 risk assessment: sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2...
Audit: sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2...
Audit implementation: sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2...
2023 risk assessment: sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2...
Am working my way through these DSA audits and risk assessments. But I'm loving all this transparency!
This chart, provided by X on how it handled issues in individual EU languages, was particularly helpful.
This chart, provided by X on how it handled issues in individual EU languages, was particularly helpful.
December 3, 2024 at 8:26 PM
Am working my way through these DSA audits and risk assessments. But I'm loving all this transparency!
This chart, provided by X on how it handled issues in individual EU languages, was particularly helpful.
This chart, provided by X on how it handled issues in individual EU languages, was particularly helpful.
I get it. There's anecdotal evidence, although such copy/paste posting is not technically illegal (though some argue it should be.)
I still believe, though, we are skipping a series of steps. Let's find the evidence, first, before we start undermining democratic processes.
I still believe, though, we are skipping a series of steps. Let's find the evidence, first, before we start undermining democratic processes.
December 3, 2024 at 11:22 AM
I get it. There's anecdotal evidence, although such copy/paste posting is not technically illegal (though some argue it should be.)
I still believe, though, we are skipping a series of steps. Let's find the evidence, first, before we start undermining democratic processes.
I still believe, though, we are skipping a series of steps. Let's find the evidence, first, before we start undermining democratic processes.
I'm not saying Georgescu played by the rules. But I'm also saying there is currently no evidence that he broke them.
I would urge caution about jumping to conclusions without having any evidence of illegal activity.
I would urge caution about jumping to conclusions without having any evidence of illegal activity.
December 3, 2024 at 10:48 AM
I'm not saying Georgescu played by the rules. But I'm also saying there is currently no evidence that he broke them.
I would urge caution about jumping to conclusions without having any evidence of illegal activity.
I would urge caution about jumping to conclusions without having any evidence of illegal activity.
Maybe. But what is your evidence that he bought ads? Just because an algorithm promotes something doesn't equate to those views being artificially amplified. TikTok's algorithms work in a way that they grasp on what is trending, and then flood the zone with that content.
December 3, 2024 at 10:47 AM
Maybe. But what is your evidence that he bought ads? Just because an algorithm promotes something doesn't equate to those views being artificially amplified. TikTok's algorithms work in a way that they grasp on what is trending, and then flood the zone with that content.
But sure. Let's blame TikTok. That's just an easier scapegoat than dealing with the underlying root cause.
December 3, 2024 at 10:26 AM
But sure. Let's blame TikTok. That's just an easier scapegoat than dealing with the underlying root cause.
An algorithm doesn't, on its own, change voters' behavior.
It's merely a symptom of a wider malady — one born out of mass inflation caused by Covid-19 pandemic & war in Ukraine; a failure for politicians to deliver for citizens; and a willingness to blow up the domestic order that is not working
It's merely a symptom of a wider malady — one born out of mass inflation caused by Covid-19 pandemic & war in Ukraine; a failure for politicians to deliver for citizens; and a willingness to blow up the domestic order that is not working
December 3, 2024 at 10:25 AM
An algorithm doesn't, on its own, change voters' behavior.
It's merely a symptom of a wider malady — one born out of mass inflation caused by Covid-19 pandemic & war in Ukraine; a failure for politicians to deliver for citizens; and a willingness to blow up the domestic order that is not working
It's merely a symptom of a wider malady — one born out of mass inflation caused by Covid-19 pandemic & war in Ukraine; a failure for politicians to deliver for citizens; and a willingness to blow up the domestic order that is not working