The Big Story: EU advances overhaul of content moderation rules. Early Saturday morning, the European Union reached an agreement on a final version of landmark legislation to govern online intermediaries hosting user content in the EU. The legislation, known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), will build on existing EU law and create new obligations for companies—including startups—that will require additional staff, development of new tools, and attention toward compliance in order to serve users in the EU.

The Big Story: Startups should be prominent voice in merger guidelines re-write. This week, Engine submitted comments in response to a request for information (RFI) from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division on merger enforcement. The agencies issued the RFI in January as they move toward re-writing the merger guidelines, guidance that outlines how the agencies will analyze prospective mergers, which is traditionally relied on by the agencies, companies, and courts alike. Sound merger enforcement that mitigates illegal anticompetitive behavior is important for startup success, but policymakers must balance those potential harms with the benefits of acquisitions. If the new guidelines are too restrictive, they risk burdening legal transactions—including those of startups, thereby limiting startups’ exit opportunities and stemming the flow of capital in the startup ecosystem.