Security News > 2023 > April > EU moves to regulate tech titans with Digital Services Act

The Commission adopted the first designation decisions under the Digital Services Act, designating 17 Very Large Online Platforms and 2 Very Large Online Search Engines that reach at least 45 million monthly active users.

Following their designation, the companies will now have to comply, within four months, with the full set of new obligations under the DSA. These aim at empowering and protecting users online, including minors, by requiring the designated services to assess and mitigate their systemic risks and to provide robust content moderation tools.

Platforms will have to identify, analyse and mitigate a wide array of systemic risks ranging from how illegal content and disinformation can be amplified on their services, to the impact on the freedom of expression and media freedom.

The risk mitigation plans of designated platforms and search engines will be subject to an independent audit and oversight by the Commission.

While the Commission is the competent authority for supervising the designated platforms and search engines, it will work in close cooperation with the Digital Services Coordinators in the supervisory framework established by the DSA. These national authorities, which are responsible as well for the supervision of smaller platforms and search engines, need to be established by EU Member States by 17 February 2024.

These are designed to better monitor platform providers' actions to tackle illegal content, such as illegal hate speech, as well as other societal risks such as the spread of disinformation, and risks that may affect the users' mental health.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/28/eu-digital-services-act-tech/