US Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson has cautioned American tech giants against adhering to the new digital content laws in the UK and EU, emphasizing the need to protect US data regulations.
The EU Digital Services Act, UK Online Safety Act, and UK Investigatory Powers Act aim to combat illegal content by monitoring users’ ages, regulating online platforms, and implementing protective measures. However, these laws face criticism from users who argue they infringe upon privacy and data security.
On Thursday, Ferguson met with leaders from Apple, Meta, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, X, Signal, and Slack to discuss how to navigate regulatory pressures in Europe while remaining compliant with US laws. He remarked, “Foreign governments seeking to limit free expression or weaken data security in the United States might count on the fact that companies have an incentive to simplify their operations and legal compliance measures by applying uniform policies across jurisdictions.”