A cross-party committee has launched a popular initiative aimed at holding technology companies legally accountable if they fail in their duty of care, reported RTS. Among other measures, the proposal would require large digital platforms to appoint a legal representative in Switzerland.
The initiative, presented on Tuesday by the Guido Fluri Foundation, seeks to make digital platforms, search engines and artificial-intelligence services more accountable. “Our fundamental rights are threatened by the tech giants,” said Guido Fluri, an entrepreneur from Aargau. He argued that the business model of large technology companies encourages the spread of harmful content while shifting the consequences onto society.
The initiative committee includes politicians from across the political spectrum, including the Green Party, the Socialist Party, the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP), The Centre party, PLR/FDP and the Green Liberal Party. It proposes that tech firms designate a legal representative in Switzerland to facilitate legal proceedings. The text also envisages financial penalties and, as a last resort, restrictions on access to platforms that fail to comply.
Tech giants should no longer focus solely on maximising reach; they must also limit risks, said Gerhard Andrey, a Green member of parliament from Fribourg who specialises in technology policy.
Government proposals deemed insufficient
The initiative builds on a draft law presented last October by the Federal Council to regulate communication platforms and search engines. That proposal aims to strengthen users’ rights and oblige platforms to act more fairly and transparently. But the initiative committee considers the government’s plan inadequate. It argues that the draft legislation was watered down under pressure from technology companies and out of concern that stricter rules could provoke retaliation from the United States amid an ongoing customs dispute.
The initiative’s backers are calling instead for a more ambitious constitutional framework, which would also cover generative artificial intelligence. According to the committee, digital platforms allow the widespread distribution of criminal and harmful content that threatens society. Children and teenagers in particular are exposed to illegal images of violence and abuse, they say. Cybercrime and foreign disinformation campaigns also pose growing risks.
The organisers have until September 3rd, 2027 to collect the 100,000 signatures required to force a nationwide vote.
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RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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