A Senate report proposes to make mandatory the publication of the algorithms used by the major internet platforms, a measure fiercely opposed by the latter.
The report is devoted to the Digital services act, a European law in preparation which aims to better regulate internet platforms.
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"
The business model of the large platforms is based on the use by algorithms, as powerful as they are opaque, of very large amounts of data - in particular personal data -
", underline in a report of the European Affairs Committee. senators Florence Blatrix Contat (Ain, PS) and Catherine Morin-Desailly (Seine-Maritime, UDI).
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The platforms should therefore be required to "
make public (their) algorithms, for the purposes of research by third parties for potential risks to fundamental rights, before their first use and after each substantial modification
", they believe.
They should also be imposed "
regular audits of self-learning algorithms
", they add.
The DSA, "a missed opportunity"?
France, which is preparing to take the presidency of the European Union for six months, hopes to achieve significant progress in the Digital service act in discussions for rapid adoption by the 27. The text provides in particular to strengthen the obligations concrete platforms in terms of moderation of illegal content, and to impose vigilance obligations for other content. But he does not plan to impose the publication of the algorithms.
In general, the Digital service act is "
a missed opportunity to really reform the legal framework for the giants of the net
", believe the two senators.
But "
in any event, in view of the urgency for the Union to establish an effective framework for the fight against illegal and harmful online content, capable of constituting a benchmark at global level, rapid adoption, under French presidency of the European Union, would be desirable
”, they underline.
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