*Digital imperialism: How US social media firms are using American law
to challenge global tech regulation *
/Yasmin Curzi de Mendonça
Research associate, University of Virginia
Camille Grenier
Associated Expert at the Technology and Global Affairs Innovation Hub,
Sciences Po/
Social media platforms tend not to be that bothered by national boundaries.
Take X, for example. Users of what was once called Twitter span the
globe, with its 600 millions-plus active accounts dotted across nearly
every country. And each of those jurisdictions has its own laws.
But the interests of national regulatory efforts and that of
predominantly U.S.-based technology companies often don’t align. While
many governments have sought to impose oversight mechanisms to address
problems such as disinformation, online extremism and manipulation,
these initiatives have been met with corporate resistance, political
interference and legal challenges invoking free speech as a shield
against regulation.
What is brewing is a global struggle over digital platform governance.
And in this battle, U.S. platforms are increasingly leaning on American
laws to challenge other nation’s regulations. It is, we believe as
experts on digital law – one an executive director of a forum monitoring
how countries implement democratic principles – a form of digital
imperialism.
[...]
cont:
https://theconversation.com/digital-imperialism-how-us-social-media-firms-are-using-american-law-to-challenge-global-tech-regulation-252116
