Legal regulation of social media in different countries: Experience in enhancing control of online space

 

For citation: Gurtsiev M.E. Legal regulation of social media in different countries: Experience in enhancing control of online space // Mediascope. 2024. 3. Available at: https://www.mediascope.ru/2878

 

© Marat E. Gurtsiev

Deputy Chief of the Public Relations and Marketing Department of FSI “ Fisheries Monitoring and Communications Centre” (Moscow, Russia), marat.gurel@yandex.ru

 

Abstract

An active spread of digital channels of information exchange affects the main issues of functioning and transformation of social, economic and political components of the state, as well as the creation of new mechanisms for the transition of modern society to the network level of activity. In this regard, there is a need to streamline such relations on the part of the state. The purpose of this paper is to systematise the experience of regulating social networks and online platforms in different countries. The author has focused on social media control practices in the US, EU, China and India. The author analysed publications by Russian and foreign researchers devoted to the problems of social network regulation in different countries, as well as information from analytical agencies. As a result, the author has identified the main areas of activity on regulatory and legal support of social networks by legislators in different countries, and summarised the main weaknesses and strengths of foreign practices. The results of the study can be used by Russian regulators to develop effective practices of control over the media space.

Keywords: social networks, regulation, online platforms, restriction, media environment.

 

Notes

Chto menyaetsya v zakonodatel'stve o sotsial'nykh setyakh [What is changing in the legislation and social media]. Gosudarstvennaya duma Rossiyskoy Federatsii. Available at: http://duma.gov.ru/news/50660/# (accessed: 21.07.2024). (In Russian)

Indiyskie vlasti navsegda zapretili 59 kitayskikh prilozheniy, v tom chisle TikTok [Indian authorities ban 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, for good.]. TASS. Available at: https://tass.ru/obschestvo/10544881 (accessed: 21.07.2024). (In Russian)

Kitayskie chinovniki dali ponyat', chto Facebook ne budet dopushchen na kitayskiy rynok [Chinese officials signal that Facebook won’t be allowed into the Chinese market.] [中国官员明确表态不允许FACEBOOK进入中国市场]. Available at: https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/vt-09122014132912.html (accessed: 21.07.2024). (In Chinese)

Mintsifry Rossii predlozhilo OON razrabotat' novye standarty po upravleniyu internetom Минцифры [Russian Ministry of Digital Development suggests the UN to elaborate new standards of Internet control]. Ministerstvo tsifrovogo razvitiya, svyazi i massovykh kommunikatsiy Rossiyskoy Federatsii. Available at: https://digital.gov.ru/ru/events/40202/ (accessed: 21.07.2024). (In Russian)

Nizhnyaya palata kongressa SShA odobrila zakonoproekt o zaprete TikTok [US H.R. approves the TikTok ban bill]. RBK. Available at: https://www.rbc.ru/technology_and_media/13/03/2024/65f1cc0b9a79471e3276c2e7 (accessed: 21.07.2024). (In Russian)

Number of social media users in China from 2018 to 2022 with forecasts until 2027. Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/277586/number-of-social-network-users-in-china/l (accessed: 21.07.2024).

Pochemu v SShA khotyat zapretit' TikTok i k chemu mozhet privesti prinuditel'naya prodazha [Why the USA wants to ban TikTok and what the forced sale can lead to. Forbes.]. Available at: https://www.forbes.ru/tekhnologii/508400-pocemu-v-ssa-hotat-zapretit-tiktok-i-k-cemu-mozet-privesti-prinuditel-naa-prodaza (accessed: 21.07.2024). (In Russian)

Rossiyskaya Federatsiya. Zakony. Federal'nyy zakon «Ob informatsii, informatsionnykh tekhnologiyakh i o zashchite informatsii» i otdel'nye zakonodatel'nye akty Rossiyskoy Federatsii» [Federal'nyy zakon ot 30.12.2020 No 530-FZ] [The Russian Federation. Laws. Federal Law on “Information, Information Technologies and Protection of Information” and separate legislative acts of the Russian Federation. [Federal Law from 30.12.2020 № 530-FZ]. Konsul'tant Plyus. Available at: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_61798/a3cba9a7c2ac9aa487df2d4172734dd5139376f5/ (accessed: 21.07.2024). (In Russian)

Rukovoditelyam Facebook, Twitter i Google predstoit otvetit' na voprosy Kongressa o dezinformatsii [Facebook, Twitter and Google managers will have to answer questions of the Congress on disinformation]. CNN. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/25/tech/tech-ceos-hearing/index.html#:~:text=The%20chief%20executives%20of%20Facebook,rollout%20of%20the%20coronavirus%20vaccine (accessed: 21.07.2024). (In Russian)

Seti popali pod perekrestnyy dopros [Nets come under cross-examination]. RBK. Available at: https://www.rbc.ru/newspaper/2024/02/05/65bce62f9a7947503b6654c9 (accessed: 21.07.2024). (In Russian)

Zakon SAFE TECH predlagaet reformu razdela 230, no pravozashchitniki preduprezhdayut o ser'eznykh pobochnykh effektakh [SAFE TECH Law suggests a reform of separation 230, but human rights activists warn about significant side effects]. TechRunch. Available at: https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/05/safe-tech-act-section-230-warner/ (accessed: 21.07.2024). (In Russian)

Zakonoproekt o konfidentsial'nosti dannykh, predstavlennyy v Kongresse [The Data Confidentiality Bill presented in the Congress]. Available at: https://www.dlapiper.com/en/insights/publications/ai-outlook/2022/data-privacy-bill-in-congress-would-create-federal-enforcement-over-algorithms (accessed: 21.07.2024). (In Russian)

 

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