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The EU's Digital Markets Act[0] will require interoperability for various kinds of services between what they call "gatekeeper" entities. You might be thinking

by krono 4y ago

The EU's Digital Markets Act[0] will require interoperability for various kinds of services between what they call "gatekeeper" entities. You might be thinking "sounds to good to be true" or "no such thing as a free lunch", and if so - you have just won a prize: the EU's Digital Services Act[1]! This second balancing act includes such wonderful requirements for hosting providers and data processors to pro-actively scan for and report illegal data (leave no bit unturned!), to identify and keep verifiable records of their customers' identities (match those bits!), external auditing and "trusted flaggers" (sell those bits!), full-access no-limits and thus decrypted sharing of customer data with authorities during crises (to ensure the security and continuing stability of the Galactic Republic!). Hopefully this attempt at bringing the news in a comedic manner has helped to soften any feelings of hopelessness and impending doom :D https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/digital-markets-act-ensuring-fair-and-open-digital-markets_en https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/euro... https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/digital-services-act-ensuring-safe-and-accountable-online-environment_en https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/euro...

jsmith45 4y ago
Some of what you say is either worse case interpretations, or only applies to very large platforms (>45 million monthly active users). The DSA also has good parts like preventing sites from doing the following: Site: We have suspended you account and hidden all content you posted because our buggy AI thinks some content you posted violates a law or term of service. This is a final decision and cannot be appealed. You: What content? What law or term of service? Site: we don't have to tell you, and we don't have to tell you. We said this was final with no appeal so you are lucky we are even replying in the first place. You: now you must attempt to make a big enough shitstorm on twitter that the company might actually get a human to look at things and notice their shitty AI made a mistake. Instead the law requires identifying the content with specificity, identity which law or term of service they think was violated with specificity, they must have a human powered appeals process. It provides a non-binding out of court dispute settlement process, as an alternative to suing the company to force them to comply with the law. For reference, the act as enacted: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32022R2065 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A...
- krono 4y ago
  > worse case interpretations More often than not those end up not having been too far off. The total time to implement might get stretched out, components dirtied by general public resistance will be repackaged or repurposed, and any debate or discussion not in the plan's favour will be actively misdirected. It's a sound strategy, and I hate everything about it. > or only applies to very large platforms Even a single one of which is nigh impossible to avoid. At least some data - either by you, from you, or about you - will end up on AWS/GCP/Azure. A fact of life. > has good parts All of which solve problems that are easily mitigated today, on my own terms, for less effort, and either for free or for cheap. Not a very good deal at all.
_23sd 4y ago
Some gatekeepers (i.e. Apple) will probably consider no longer offering messaging services in the EU rather than be forced to open the platform under the DMA and potentially break their E2EE under the DSA. Also, the DMA isn't requiring that services use a standardized protocol for interoperability, so in practice this probably means that integrating with a gatekeeper's service means following all their rules and keeping up with periodic changes to their API. Maybe I'm just being over-cynical but I think we'll have to wait and see how effective this is at creating widespread interoperability.
- A4ET8a8uTh0 4y ago
  It would be rather short-sighted in my view. While China/India are biggest market in terms of sheer amount of people, those people may not have the same levels of disposable income when compared to EU citizens. I absolutely understand that Apple could level that threat, but it would abandoning a major market for.. what exactly?

by krono 4y ago

jsmith45 4y ago

Some of what you say is either worse case interpretations, or only applies to very large platforms (>45 million monthly active users). The DSA also has good parts like preventing sites from doing the following: Site: We have suspended you account and hidden all content you posted because our buggy AI thinks some content you posted violates a law or term of service. This is a final decision and cannot be appealed. You: What content? What law or term of service? Site: we don't have to tell you, and we don't have to tell you. We said this was final with no appeal so you are lucky we are even replying in the first place. You: now you must attempt to make a big enough shitstorm on twitter that the company might actually get a human to look at things and notice their shitty AI made a mistake. Instead the law requires identifying the content with specificity, identity which law or term of service they think was violated with specificity, they must have a human powered appeals process. It provides a non-binding out of court dispute settlement process, as an alternative to suing the company to force them to comply with the law. For reference, the act as enacted: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32022R2065 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A...

krono 4y ago
> worse case interpretations More often than not those end up not having been too far off. The total time to implement might get stretched out, components dirtied by general public resistance will be repackaged or repurposed, and any debate or discussion not in the plan's favour will be actively misdirected. It's a sound strategy, and I hate everything about it. > or only applies to very large platforms Even a single one of which is nigh impossible to avoid. At least some data - either by you, from you, or about you - will end up on AWS/GCP/Azure. A fact of life. > has good parts All of which solve problems that are easily mitigated today, on my own terms, for less effort, and either for free or for cheap. Not a very good deal at all.

_23sd 4y ago

Some gatekeepers (i.e. Apple) will probably consider no longer offering messaging services in the EU rather than be forced to open the platform under the DMA and potentially break their E2EE under the DSA. Also, the DMA isn't requiring that services use a standardized protocol for interoperability, so in practice this probably means that integrating with a gatekeeper's service means following all their rules and keeping up with periodic changes to their API. Maybe I'm just being over-cynical but I think we'll have to wait and see how effective this is at creating widespread interoperability.

A4ET8a8uTh0 4y ago
It would be rather short-sighted in my view. While China/India are biggest market in terms of sheer amount of people, those people may not have the same levels of disposable income when compared to EU citizens. I absolutely understand that Apple could level that threat, but it would abandoning a major market for.. what exactly?