Global: FTC Chair cautions US tech giants on compliance with UK and EU online safety laws

The Chair of the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Lina Ferguson, has issued a warning to major US technology companies, urging them to carefully navigate new regulatory requirements in the United Kingdom and European Union without undermining American legal standards.

The EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), the UK’s Online Safety Act, and the Investigatory Powers Act were introduced to curb harmful and illegal online content, enforce age-verification measures, and strengthen oversight of digital platforms. However, the legislation has drawn criticism from civil rights advocates who argue that it threatens user privacy, data security, and free expression.

Speaking on Thursday, Ferguson disclosed that the FTC had engaged Apple, Meta, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, X, Signal, and Slack in discussions on the impact of the new rules. She stressed that while compliance with foreign regulations is necessary, US companies must remain vigilant against policies that could erode rights enshrined in American law.

“Foreign governments seeking to limit free expression or weaken data security in the United States might count on the fact that companies have an incentive to simplify their operations and legal compliance measures by applying uniform policies across jurisdictions,” Ferguson cautioned.

The remarks highlight growing tensions as global regulators push for tighter oversight of digital platforms, forcing Big Tech to balance cross-border compliance with safeguarding core US legal principles.