In an amazing turn of events Mark Zuckerberg published simultaneously in several languages on mainstream newspaper an opinion end March that calls for increased regulation of social network activities (see the Washington post version here: ‘Mark Zuckerberg: The Internet needs new rules. Let’s start in these four areas.’)
First let’s note that this move is probably due to the underlying observation that lack of regulation may spell doom on his empire. What are the four areas he is calling for increased regulation?
- managing better harmful content and getting external input on removal rules, as well as standardizing rules
- better rules around political advertisement
- a globally recognized framework around privacy and data protection aligned with the EU rules
- guaranteeing data portability from one service to the next
Mark Zuckerberg concludes: “The rules governing the Internet allowed a generation of entrepreneurs to build services that changed the world and created a lot of value in people’s lives. It’s time to update these rules to define clear responsibilities for people, companies and governments going forward.”
I observe that the topics raised are mostly about making sure all competitors will be subject to the same scrutiny as Facebook and avoid competitors that would avoid the complication of those basic requirements. The request for regulation could go beyond this minimum.
Still it is a start, and with major social network players now asking for more regulation, the door is opened for a serious regulatory review of what has become a major tool in the world’s hands.
