Until now, determining whether artificial intelligence-powered platforms are spreading disinformation or negatively targeting kids fell to the companies operating them or to the few research organizations capable of sifting through publicly available data.
That was until the European Union in late August began such monitoring as it implements its law known as the Digital Services Act, which applies to online platforms like social media companies and search engines that have more than 45 million active European users. The law is designed to combat hate speech and spread of disinformation as well as prevent targeting of minors.
Although national governments of the 27-member European Union are responsible for enforcing the law, the EU also established the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency, or ECAT, that now audits algorithms and underlying data from the 19 major platforms that meet the law’s criteria.
