Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

China’s tech firms wait for new rules as EU prepares Digital Services Act

China’s tech firms wait for new rules as EU prepares Digital Services Act

Under expected changes platforms such as Facebook, Amazon and TikTok must tackle illegal content and misinformation if operating in the EU domain.

Chinese tech giants, including the video sharing app TikTok, are likely to be subject to the European Union’s new proposal that seeks to rein in US social media, e-commerce and advertising platforms, with potential fines of up to 10 per cent of their annual turnover for breaches.

The future of Chinese tech firms– alongside their more popular American counterparts such as Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple– in Europe is shrouded in uncertainty as the EU prepares to unveil its Digital Services Act.

Digital policies form a big part of the EU’s quest for strategic autonomy as it looks to counter US firms’ disregard for privacy and the fuelling of disinformation, as well as Chinese companies’ alleged acquiescence to illiberal government practices.


Under the EU’s new digital framework, according to an EU source, “greater platforms should have greater responsibilities”. It categorises online platforms with more than 45 million EU users – a tenth of the EU population – as “very large”, subjecting them to extra due diligence hurdles and empowering the EU to undertake intrusive investigative work.

TikTok boasts 100 million European users. Huawei Technologies Co– which is developing its own app store – has 33 million active users in Europe per month, which means it still falls short of the “very large” category, according to state media.

“The new rule will be forward looking for at least a decade. Tomorrow’s biggest platforms may be European, may be Indian, may be Chinese – so we need to be prepared for all scenarios,” the EU source added.

The dominant platforms would bear “a higher standard of transparency and accountability” on how they “moderate content, on advertising and on algorithmic processes”, a senior EU official said. The EU will also impose obligations on firms to manage the risk of manipulative techniques.


Platforms will be required to do more to tackle illegal content on their platforms, misuse of their platforms that infringe on others’ fundamental rights and the intentional manipulation of platforms to influence elections and public health, among other conditions.

The companies will also have to show details of political advertising on their platforms and the parameters used by their algorithms to suggest and rank information.

The rules are the most serious attempt by the 27-country bloc to rein in the power of the US tech giants that control troves of data and online platforms on which thousands of companies and millions of Europeans rely.

They also reflect the European Commission’s frustration with its antitrust cases against the tech giants, notably Google, which critics say did not address the problem.


The EU’s main priority was seen to be American tech giants, but its attention might also shift to Chinese firms if they became popular in Europe, another source said.

A company that “systemically infringes” on the obligations could face orders by the European Commission to make behavioural and structural changes, such as divesting businesses, Bloomberg reported.

It reported that firms would be deemed in systematic non-compliance if issued at least three fines by the EU within five years.

The draft rules may still be subject to revision.

Once the commission formally proposes the new rules, it could still take months, if not years, before they become law. It requires the sign-off from the bloc’s other lawmaking institutions, including the European Parliament and the Council of European member states.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
×