“High profile” centre will use data-science expertise to assist with enforcement of new digital laws
The European Commission has announced that it will launch a European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency to help the EU enforce new laws on the operations of digital platforms, including their use of artificial intelligence.
The “high profile” centre, announced on 5 July, will be set up by the Commission’s digital department and its Joint Research Centre evidence service.
It will “attract world-class scientific talent in data science and algorithms” to help authorities enforce the laws on how platforms use AI, the Commission said.
Its announcement came as the European Parliament signed off the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, which put new obligations on digital platforms and give new rights to users.
The acts give the EU the power to inspect platform algorithms to ensure transparency rules are followed. For example, they require platforms to be clear about how they are moderating content or promoting content to users.
Platforms must also provide access to their data and algorithms to authorities and some vetted researchers.
But academic organisations have complained that the new laws could inadvertently hamper their ability to share research and education content, warning of expensive administrative burdens and a lack of clarity around how the new rules interact with existing EU copyright laws.