The European Union's Digital Services Act now requires large social media platforms to publish detailed explanations of their content recommendation algorithms, provide researchers with data access for independent auditing, and give users the option to see chronological rather than algorithmically curated feeds. Platforms found in violation face fines of up to six percent of global annual revenue.
In the United States, bipartisan legislation modeled partly on the DSA has advanced out of committee with surprising momentum. The bill would require platforms with more than 50 million users to submit annual algorithmic impact assessments to the FTC and disclose when content is promoted through paid amplification. Tech companies have mounted a significant lobbying effort against the disclosure requirements.
