The law is (finally) standing up against the powerful platforms known as ‘Big Tech’. Namely, X, Instagram, and TikTok. Last Saturday, February 17th, the European Digital Services Act (DSA) officially came into effect. This is something that Bits of Freedom and communication agency KesselsKramer have been working hard on; ensuring that Big Tech cannot just do as they please with shadowbanning and removing posts and accounts without explanation. Critical voices must remain heard online.
For their Stay loud! campaign Bits of Freedom, in collaboration with KesselsKramer, are unveiling a new website where you can read what these laws mean for you, urging everyone in a campaign: ‘Stay loud.’
Social media platforms are handy, even for activists, NGOs, and other critical voices. You can easily connect with others, spread your message, and gather like-minded individuals. However, these same platforms are powerful companies that hide behind their algorithms and can determine who is heard and who is not. Think of shadowbanning, and the removal of posts and accounts without explanation.
This is why we now have the new Digital Services Act (DSA). A European law that Bits of Freedom has been working on for years, ensuring that platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X can’t just do as they please.
“We are very pleased with the new rights that better protect us against the power and arbitrariness of Big Tech. It’s great to see that the law we’ve been working on behind the scenes is finally in effect,” says Lotje Beek, policy advisor at Bits of Freedom. “We hope that the DSA gives critical voices the reach they deserve.”
However, much of the new law only works if you activate certain settings, thus it is crucial that the general public can understand what this law entails and how they can use it. Therefore, Bits of Freedom calls on activists, NGOs, and other critical voices to stay vocal. The campaign includes a manifesto, already signed by organisations and people such as Amnesty and Alexander Klöpping, as well as portraits and animations of three activists who, like Bits of Freedom, fight against unfair technology and for human rights. In these portraits, the mouths are manipulated to visually illustrate how social media affects the reach of critical voices. Organisations and activists are invited to share the campaign with their networks, ensuring that the new laws reach an even wider audience.
On the website jouwplatformrechten.nl, designed by the digital branch of KesselsKramer, kesselskramer.digital, one can read all about the new platform rights. The website focuses on the long term, and will evolve continuously to stay in line with the laws. In addition, you’ll find the manifesto and can download campaign materials to make the laws even more widely known.
KesselsKramer | BOF | Blijf luid from KesselsKramer on Vimeo.
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