Who gets to regulate Big Tech? The risks of a UK-US digital trade deal.

The UK is developing new rules to govern some of the world’s most powerful technology companies, from competition and online safety to AI and data protection. But could a trade agreement with the United States undermine its ability to enforce them?

On 22 October, the Trade Justice Movement will publish new research, The price of the deal: potential implications for UK technology regulation from a US-UK digital trade agreement, alongside a shorter summary briefing.

The research warns that a UK-US digital trade agreement could significantly restrict the UK’s ability to regulate and tax major technology companies, with potential implications for:

• the UK’s 2% Digital Services Tax
• regulation of Big Tech under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act
• future AI regulation
• the Online Safety Act
• personal data protection
• measures to protect children online, such as an under-16s social media ban

Join us to hear the key findings and discuss what they could mean for the UK’s ability to regulate Big Tech and AI.

We’ll explore what safeguards and red lines the government should adopt in any negotiations, and what role Parliament should play in scrutinising any agreement.

Speakers

Daniel Rangel Jurado, Director of Research and International Advocacy at Rethink Trade, a programme of the American Economic Liberties Project. Daniel has a decade of experience working on trade and investment law and policy, with particular expertise in digital trade.

Daniel will be joined by UK campaigners working on tax justice, online safety, AI regulation and tech justice, reflecting on what the research could mean for their areas of work. There will also be time for audience questions and discussion.