Europe's largest broadcasters and publishers have urged EU regulators to ensure that a new law designed to clean up the internet does not accidentally cripple the region's media industry. In a letter sent to EU officials on April 21, a coalition of media powerhouses, including Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount+, Canal+, and Sky, urged the European Commission to focus its upcoming Digital Fairness Act (DFA) on Silicon Valley giants like Alphabet's Google, Apple, Meta's Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft, rather than on heavily regulated local broadcasters.
Background and Concerns
According to a report by Reuters, the groups argue that a one-size-fits-all approach to regulation threatens the business models that fund independent journalism and cultural content. The Digital Fairness Act, expected to be proposed by EU Justice Chief Michael McGrath later this year, aims to protect consumers from addictive designs, such as features that keep users scrolling for hours, dark patterns that trick users into clicking, subscription traps that are easy to join but hard to cancel, and unclear marketing and pricing practices.
Media Groups' Stance
While the media groups support consumer protection, they argue that their sectors are already well-regulated and uphold high editorial standards. The group stated, “New measures must focus on the segment of the digital environment where significant responsibility gaps persist, rather than our well-regulated sectors that already uphold high editorial standards.” Applying the same strict rules to a local radio station as to a massive global social media platform is, they claim, a mistake.
One of the biggest points of contention involves features like autoplay, recommendation systems, and personalized ads. While regulators often view these as addictive or problematic, broadcasters argue they are vital revenue streams that keep the creative industries alive. The letter was signed by the European Publishers Council and the Motion Picture Association, including Canal+, RTL, Mediaset, ITV, Paramount+, NBCUniversal, Walt Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Sky, and TF1 Groupe.
What Broadcasters Are Asking
The coalition is calling for an evidence-based approach that targets specific risks rather than blanket rules. They argue that the focus should remain on the segment of the digital world where significant responsibility gaps persist. “New measures must focus on the segment of the digital environment where problems exist. Not our sectors that already uphold high standards,” the group stated. They told McGrath and EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen that restricting these tools could have a disproportionate impact on sectors that are essential for democracy and media pluralism.
Industry Impact
The media groups emphasize that the DFA should not inadvertently harm the very industries that contribute to a diverse and independent media landscape. By targeting only the tech giants that have been slow to adopt responsible practices, the EU can achieve its consumer protection goals without undermining the financial viability of traditional broadcasters and publishers. The coalition urges the Commission to adopt a nuanced regulatory approach that recognizes the existing high standards in the media sector.
