The EU’s Digital Services Act Could Serve As A Blueprint For The U.S.

screenrant.com:

The European Union has agreed on a Digital Services Act, a proposal designed to protect consumers and their privacy, in a move that could pave the way for similar legislation in the United States. Though illegal activity is thriving more than in any other time, the U.S. has been slow to respond to the evolving digital threats. In 2021, cybercrime losses reached an all-time high. Online users lost nearly $7 billion in damages due to cybercrimes, with large companies and public individuals common targets for digital attacks. Whether it's large-scale attacks or phishing scams designed to target an individual user, online crimes are on the rise — which prompted the EU to take swift action to combat the worrisome trend.

Since the U.S. government has not implemented universal policies to protect consumers, some companies have marketed privacy as a feature. Namely, Apple has introduced a slew of features to protect users against predatory companies who harvest data for targeted advertisement, among other purposes. The company's iPhone privacy report shows what information is being collected by apps and websites that request user data. It has specific information, such as what sensors and internet domains are accessed during tasks, and can inform people whether certain applications or websites really need the data collected. Although the features can be helpful, they are limited to Apple devices. The EU's new act, however, will apply to a wide range of companies, websites, and services.

Related: Apple Has Been Rejecting Apps To Protect User Privacy

The agreement was announced by the European Commission, and was approved by both the European Parliament and EU Member States, according to the commission. The Digital Services Act