The information is prepared by the team of the COMPACT project (http://compact-media.eu/). COMPACT is a Coordination and Support Action funded European Commission under framework Horizon 2020. The objective of the COMPACT project is to increase awareness (including scientific, political, cultural, legal, economic and technical areas) of the latest technological discoveries among key stakeholders in the context of social media and convergence. The project will offer analyses and road maps of related initiatives. In addition, extensive research on policies and regulatory frameworks in media and content will be developed.

1. COMPACT PROJECT
Bringing Social Media and Traditional Media Together
Deliverable:
State of the art research
on Convergence and Social Media
A Compendium on R&D Programmes/ Activities /Issues
Authors:
Andrej Školkay (SCM, Slovakia)
with key contributors
Oľga Púchovská, Adina Marincea, Ľubica Adamcová, Viera Žúborová (SCM, Slovakia)
1

2. COMPACT H2020 Project
• The information is prepared by the team of
the COMPACT project (http://compact-media.eu/).
• COMPACT is a Coordination and Support Action funded
EuropeanCommission under framework Horizon 2020.
• The objective of the COMPACT project is to increase
awareness (including scientific, political, cultural, legal,
economic and technical areas) of the latest
technological discoveries among key stakeholders in
the context of social media and convergence.The
project will offer analyses and road maps of related
initiatives. In addition, extensive research on policies
and regulatory frameworks in media and content will
be developed.
2

3. Consortium
3

4. Consortium
Participant No
*
Participant organisation name Country
1 (Lead) National University of Ireland (NUI) Ireland
2 School of Communication and Media, n.o. (SCM) Slovakia
3 DATA d.o.o. (DAT) Slovenia
4 The European Digital SME Alliance (EDA) Belgium
5 Bulgarian Association of Software Companies (BAS) Bulgaria
6 Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) Slovenia
7 Ontotext Corp (ONT) Bulgaria
8
NGO Agency of European Innovations (AEI)
https://aei.org.ua/
Ukraine
9 Media 21 Foundation (M21) Bulgaria
10 UNIVERSIDADE CATOLICA PORTUGUESA (RCC) Portugal
11 Partnership for Social Development (PSD) Croatia
12 IT Forum (ITF) Denmark
13 The University of Latvia (UL) Latvia
14
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy
(ELI)
Greece
15 Mediaframe Ltd. (MF) UK

5. Summary
5
1. Online digital identity, easy and precise identification by state authorities (when needed and legally allowed) and at the
same time protection of digital identity on social media is the key dilemma that is also a key to successful solution of all other
problems discussed here. There are two key types of digital identity on social media –explicit, based on contents published and
implicit, made of behavioural observations. Considering thatsocial media users can influence only the first layer of their digital
identity on social media, that is under their full control, and only partly the second layer, made of behavioural observations ,
experts suggest to focus attention at public at large, especially at the early users, with the aim of increasing awareness about
these two layers of protection by a common user. In other words, this task is related to general media literacy. It can be
assumed that this is already part of media education, in some cases and most recently under headline ‘ data literacies’, but
perhaps it should be checked how is this task carried out. For example, TECH12 suggests a framework of ‘Personal Data
Literacies’ that distinguishes five significant domains: (1) Data Identification, (2) Data Understandings, (3) Data Reflexivity, (4)
Data Uses, and (5) Data Tactics.The European DIGITAL SME Alliance suggests thatthere needs to be a general discussion initiated
by policymakers and including all relevant actors, notably civil society, whether the internet should be a space where anonymity
is foreseen. Offline public spaces allow citizens to move across a physical space or to visit a shop without being tracked by
anyone. However, currently, the online world makes this very difficult. The more our social and commercial activities move
online, the more we need to reflect upon how we wantto safeguard fundamental rights (i.e. privacy and data protection) in this
space. In this general discussion or consultation, all relevant actors, i.e. civil society, academia, business and industry should be
involved.

6. Summary
6
2. As mentioned, users cannot fully or efficiently influence the third layer of online digital identity, ie. behavioural monitoring
and microtargeting by platforms. The only way to regain full control of ones digital identity isto change policies of platforms. To
certain degree protection of somebody´s digital identity is covered/protected by GDPR and/or the Privacy and Electronic
Communications Directive (PECD, or ePrivacy Directiveas of Dec. 21, 2020).However, although every platform or application
asks for permission to use data, offered options are often too complex and simply not manageable by an average user.
Therefore,data security experts should play a more important role in the discussion on regulating social media and privacy
related to online digital identity.
3. There is an emerging need to regulate botsfor commercial, civic and political reasons. This regulation can be done by
national governments. The national governments should begin by updating and leveraging existing lawtoaddress harms caused
by bots. The Commission, or the European Parliament, may suggest this idea to national governments and national
parliaments, that may be less informed about this topic. The Commission or the European Parliament may use some materials
prepared and presented in this deliverable, as well as to contact selected experts before issuing a more precise general
recommendation.
European Digital SME Association suggests that this regulation should be done at EU level to ensure equal rules across the EU –
otherwise, national rules may lead to a fragmented EU market, which does not make sense in the digital space which by nature
operates across borders.

7. Summary
7
4. Microtargeting requires closer cooperation between the data protection authorities and consumer protection focused
authorities on the one hand, andof legal and computer scientific experts, on the other hand. Platforms and ISPs in general
should base micro-targeting using sensitive data, and political microtargeting advertising, if allowed at all, only on explicit
consent by the user and not solely on a simple opt-in basis. Preferably, microtargeting should notbe allowed at all, especially
not in the area of political advertisement. Alternatives for microtargeting regulation can be found in this document.
5. Influencer marketing is a grey area of advertising, with complex interactions among influencers, peers/customers,
agencies/platforms and brands/businesses. Social media platforms use mainly recommendations to put the hashtag #ad on
sponsored posts, but they do not push sufficiently influencers to follow these guidelines, Similarly, although advertisement
regulations rulesin some countries include endorsements made on social media by social media influencers, or traditional
advertising regulation should be applied, social media influencers often disregard these regulatory expectations. There are
emerging institutional self-regulatory, co-regulatory and public (legislation) regulatory models, discussed in this deliverable.It
remains to be seen what types of regulations and with what effect will bring revised AVMSD(Directive (EU) 2018/1808).

8. Summary
8
6. There are two opposing streams of opinions when discussing whether or not to regulate immersive technologies. Some
experts call for „permissionless innovation“ orself-regulation,while other experts envision full-scale regulation in the future.
The best way seems to be, before developing any new regulations, that both businesses and governmentsshould thoroughly
review current applicable laws and regulations (also for developing industry standards and codes of conduct). Moreover, there
is not even agreement among experts whether virtual reality technologies could or should be regulated. Some argue that
sinceVR occurs on private, proprietary systems, this means that the law is unlikely to be used in this area, while others believe
thateventually, government will regulate all VR technology and designate its use solely to approved agencies.Clearly, any
discussion on regulation of ImTe (Immersive Technologies) must include both lawyers and experts on ImTe technology.The
European DIGITAL SME Alliance believes that any discussion on regulation of ImTe (Immersive Technologies) must include both
lawyers, experts on ImTe technology as well as relevant other stakeholders from civil society, academia, business and industry.
7. It appears necessary to share these insights and policy recommendations with relevant national authorities, after
additional review with experts and stakeholders. Therefore, we would suggest to prepare local versions of Policy
Recommendations in national languages, as well as short versions ofpolicy-orientated and research-based materials collected in
this Compendium. These short materials should be then disseminated via various channels among the EU M.S.

9. CONTENTS
9
Digital Identity
Why to regulate?
Threats Posed
Policy Solutions
Immersive Technologies (ImTe):
VR, AR and MR
Advantages and Disadvantages (Pros and Cons)
of ImTe, especially of AR
Potential Negative Impacts (Disadvantages) of AR
The EU
Policy Solutions
Microtargeting
LEGISLATIVE AND OTHER REGULATORY INITIATIVES
USA
EU
UK
Germany
Policy Solutions

10. CONTENTS
10
Social Media Influencers
Who are Social Media Influencers?
Why is there a need for regulating social media influencers?
Self-regulation and co-regulation of influencer
marketing campaigns
An Update on regulations in selected countries
United Kingdom
Germany
Denmark
The Netherlands
Canada
Australia
Policy Solutions
Bots
Why and How Should Bots be Regulated?
Political Discussions about Regulating Bots
Policy Suggestions

11. FULL DOCUMENT
11
Available on the COMPACT project website.
At the link: http://compact-media.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/D1.3-
STATE-OF-THE-ART-RESEARCH-ON-CONVERGENCE-AND-SOCIAL-MEDIA.pdf