Lessons Learned From the Social Media Age: The Regulatory & Political Challenge | Copenhagen Summit

Why It Matters

The shift of regulatory leadership to the UK and EU sets de facto global standards that will force U.S. tech companies to change product design and compliance strategies, with implications for user safety, market access and future AI governance. Strong enforcement and cross-border coordination could materially alter platform economics by prioritizing safety over unchecked growth.

Summary

Speakers argued that U.S. federal inaction since the 1998 COPPA law left a regulatory vacuum that the UK, EU, Australia and some U.S. states have moved to fill, notably through the UK Online Safety Act and the EU Digital Services Act. Ofcom has begun enforcement, opening dozens of investigations and pushing platforms to adopt duties of care rather than relying on takedowns; regulators cite early wins like widespread age-verification rollout on pornography sites as proof the rules can drive real change. Panelists warned platforms’ growth-first culture and algorithmic incentives still impede safety compliance, even as regulators and industry experiment with technical solutions. The conversation framed social-media regulation as a precursor and learning ground for imminent AI policy challenges.

Original Description

Two expert regulators share what they have learned, what they would do differently, and what has to happen before AI repeats the same story at greater scale and speed.

Speakers:

Dame Melanie Dawes, Chief Executive, Ofcom

Věra Jourová, former VP of European Commission for Values & Transparency

Moderator:

Colin Crowell, Global Managing Director, the Blue Owl Group