Digital Services Act (DSA)

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Digital Services Act

The Digital Services Act (DSA) is an EU regulation that entered into force in 2022, establishing a comprehensive legal framework for digital services accountability, content moderation, and platform transparency across the European Union. It significantly updates the Electronic Commerce Directive 2000 in EU law by introducing graduated obligations based on service size and risk levels, and was proposed alongside the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DSA applies to all digital intermediary services, including hosting services, online platforms (such as social networks, online marketplaces, pornographic platforms, app stores), and search engines. It establishes a tiered regulatory approach: basic obligations for all services, enhanced duties for online platforms, and the most stringent requirements for Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs) with over 45 million monthly active users in the EU.

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• the-digital-services-act-what-is-it-and-what-impact-will- ...

  The Digital Services Act (DSA) entered into force on 16 November 2022, creating new standards for digital services in the EU. The DSA regulates providers of online “intermediary services”, such as cloud providers, online marketplaces and app stores. The harmonised rules it introduces are broad and include provisions affecting illegal online content moderation, transparency requirements, user rights and protections and provider liability. [...] The DSA, together with its sister regulation, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) which came into force on 1 November 2022, will form a set of new rules intended to create a safer and more open digital space and to foster innovation and competitiveness. What is the DSA? The DSA is a regulation that will transform and harmonise the EU’s legal framework. The rules reform and supplement the e-Commerce Directive as it relates to online intermediaries, maintaining core pillars such as safe harbour provisions while introducing a host of new obligations relating to disinformation, illegal goods and content, cyber violence, dark patterns and targeted advertisements. [...] The DSA applies alongside its sister regulation, the DMA, which will impose a long list of obligations and prohibitions on digital platforms that are designated as “gatekeepers”, seeking to ensure fair and contestable digital markets in the EU. Each is a core component of the EU’s wide-reaching reform of digital sector regulation and, in combination, the two pieces of legislation create a strong regulatory regime for the digital sphere in Europe. Core components of the DSA focus on online content regulation and user protection, while the DMA seeks to prevent large and influential digital companies from implementing practices that are considered to limit competition or to otherwise be unfair.

• Digital Services Act - Wikipedia

  The Digital Services Act (DSA) is an EU regulation that entered into force in 2022, establishing a comprehensive legal framework for digital services accountability, content moderation, and platform transparency "Transparency (behavior)") across the European Union. It significantly updates the Electronic Commerce Directive 2000 in EU law by introducing graduated obligations based on service size and risk levels, and was proposed alongside the Digital Markets Act (DMA). [...] Tech companies have frequently criticized the Digital Services Act (DSA) for its burdensome regulations and perceived lack of clarity. They have also faced accusations of lobbying to weaken some of the DSA's more stringent provisions, particularly those related to bans on targeted advertising. Notably, Google CEO Sundar Pichai issued a high-profile apology to EU Commissioner Thierry Breton after a leaked internal document revealed Google's 60-day strategy to lobby against the DSA, including efforts to enlist U.S. allies to oppose Breton's regulatory push. [...] On 5 December 2025, the Commission issued its first non-complience decision and fine under the DSA. The Commission found that X had breached DSA's rules on deceptive design prohibition, ad transparency, and researcher data access, leading to an fine of €120 million ($140 million) and an order to end the infringements within certain time periods. The decision was based on three findings of infringements by the Commission:

• The Digital Services Act: Practical Implications for Online ...

  The DSA has a broad scope and regulates many aspects of digital services, including liability for online content and services, targeted advertising, know your business customer (KYBC) requirements, transparency for users, and managing systemic platform risks. The various requirements and restrictions of the DSA apply differently depending on the nature of the digital service being provided, with VLOPs and VLOSEs subject to the most comprehensive controls. 2 Applicability The DSA imposes obligations on all information society services that offer an intermediary service to recipients who are located or established in the EU, regardless of whether that intermediary service provider is incorporated or located within the EU. [...] The DSA entered into force in the EU on 16 November 2022. Whilst a number of provisions took effect on this date (including the provisions empowering the European Commission (Commission) to designate certain entities as “very large online platforms” (VLOPs) and “very large online search engines” (VLOSEs), as well as the obligation on online platforms to publish transparency reports), the majority of the operative provisions will not come into force until 17 February 2024. Designated online platforms and online search engines were required to publish their first transparency reports by 17 February 2023, and will be obliged to continue to do so once every six months thereafter. [...] Additionally, the DSA imposes cumulative obligations on intermediary services that fall within the definition of: (i) hosting services; (ii) online platforms and marketplaces; and (iii) VLOPs and VLOSEs. The chart below aims to help entities navigate the DSA by identifying the cumulative obligations applicable to each type of in-scope intermediary service. Am I an information society service? Do I offer an intermediary service?

• The EU's Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act

  ### DIGITAL SERVICES ACT What is the DSA? The DSA regulates online intermediaries and platforms such as marketplaces, social networks, content-sharing platforms, app stores, and online travel and accommodation platforms to prevent illegal and harmful activities online and the spread of disinformation. Legislators aimed to protect users from illegal content, ensure transparency in online advertising, and hold platforms accountable for algorithmic decisions. At the same time, the new rules also require the largest platforms to simplify certain processes, such as online terms and conditions or channels to address user complaints. What entities does the DSA cover? [...] Hosting services can also be defined as an online platform if they store and disseminate information. The DSA sets strict rules for the biggest services on which users can post and share content. These so-called Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs) must have at least 45 million monthly active EU users to attain that distinction. Cloud computing and website hosting, online gaming, adult entertainment, e-commerce and online shopping, and travel services are examples of VLOPs and VLOSEs covered by the DSA. What are some of the DSA’s key provisions? [...] What entities does the DSA cover? Article 3 of the DSA outlines three intermediary services—mere conduit, caching, and hosting—and rules for providers according to their size and role. Micro and small enterprises—those with fewer than 50 employees and annual turnover or balance sheet total not exceeding €10 million—are generally exempt from most DSA obligations.

• The impact of the Digital Services Act on digital platforms

  Online platforms are a digital space where we express ourselves, showcase our work, and are in contact with friends or customers. This is why it is particularly frustrating when our content gets removed, or the reach of our posts is inexplicably reduced. With the DSA, providers of intermediary services, including online platforms, must communicate to their users why they have removed their content, or why access to an account has been restricted. Providers of hosting services, including online platforms, now have an express legal obligation to provide clear and specific statements of reasons for their content moderation decisions. The DSA also empowers users to challenge such decisions through an out-of-court dispute settlement mechanism. [...] ## Obligations on traceability of business users in online marketplaces The DSA introduces obligations for providers of online marketplaces to counter the spread of illegal goods. In particular, such providers must now ensure that sellers provide verified information on their identity before they can start selling their goods on those online marketplaces. Such providers must also guarantee that users can easily identify the person responsible for the sale. Moreover, if a provider of online marketplace becomes aware of the selling of an illegal product or service by a seller, it must inform the users who purchased the illegal good or product, as well as the identity of the seller and the options for redress. [...] The DSA obliges providers of online platforms to guarantee greater transparency and control on what we see in our feeds. This should allow us to discover on what basis online platforms rank content on our feeds and to decide whether we want to opt out of personalised recommendations, since VLOPs must offer an option to turn off personalised content. Similar obligations apply to ads: in addition to further transparency and control on why we see a certain advertisement on our feed, platforms must label ads and VLOPs must maintain a repository with details on paid advertisement campaigns run on their online interfaces. TikTok, Facebook and Instagram currently offer an option to disable the personalised feed on their platforms.