Disney and Broadcasters Warn Digital Fairness Act Threatens Media Revenue
Europe’s largest broadcasters, including Disney, warned that the planned Digital Fairness Act’s one-size-fits-all obligations could disrupt vital media revenue streams like autoplay, recommender systems and personalized advertising. In an April 21 letter, the ACT coalition urged regulators to target high-risk Big Tech platforms and adopt a proportionate, risk-based approach.
1. Broadcaster Concerns Over One-Size-Fits-All Rules
Europe’s leading media groups comprising Canal+, RTL, Paramount+, Walt Disney and others sent an April 21 letter highlighting that the Digital Fairness Act would impose identical obligations on structurally distinct actors without differentiation based on market power or risk.
2. Impact on Media Revenue Streams
They contend that measures targeting dark patterns, autoplay, recommender systems and personalized ads threaten vital revenue sources, warning that categorizing such features as inherently harmful risks disrupting subscription traps and ad-funded models.
3. Call for Proportionate, Risk-Based Approach
The coalition urged EU regulators to focus on high-risk Big Tech platforms rather than well-regulated broadcasters, advocating for evidence-based differentiation to preserve editorial standards, creative content funding and media pluralism.