The DSA sets out an unprecedented new standard for the accountability of online platforms regarding illegal and harmful content. It will provide better protection for internet users and their fundamental rights... a single set of rules in the internal market, helping smaller platforms to scale up.
The Commission welcomes the swift political agreement reached today
between the European Parliament and EU Member States on the proposal on
the Digital Services Act (DSA), proposed by the Commission
in December 2020. The DSA sets out an unprecedented new standard for
the accountability of online platforms regarding illegal and harmful
content. It will provide better protection for internet users and their
fundamental rights, as well as define a single set of rules in the
internal market, helping smaller platforms to scale up.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Today's
agreement on the Digital Services Act is historic, both in terms of
speed and of substance. The DSA will upgrade the ground-rules for all
online services in the EU. It will ensure that the online environment
remains a safe space, safeguarding freedom of expression and
opportunities for digital businesses. It gives practical effect to the
principle that what is illegal offline, should be illegal online. The
greater the size, the greater the responsibilities of online platforms.
Today's agreement – complementing the political agreement on the Digital
Markets Act last month – sends a strong signal: to all Europeans, to
all EU businesses, and to our international counterparts.”
Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager, added: “With
the DSA we help create a safe and accountable online environment.
Platforms should be transparent about their content moderation
decisions, prevent dangerous disinformation from going viral and avoid
unsafe products being offered on market places. With today's agreement
we ensure that platforms are held accountable for the risks their
services can pose to society and citizens.”
Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton further commented: “With
the DSA, the time of big online platforms behaving like they are “too
big to care” is coming to an end. The DSA is setting clear, harmonised
obligations for platforms – proportionate to size, impact and risk. It
entrusts the Commission with supervising very large platforms, including
the possibility to impose effective and dissuasive sanctions of up to
6% of global turnover or even a ban on operating in the EU single market
in case of repeated serious breaches. EU institutions have worked hand
in hand in record time, with determination and ambition to protect our
citizens online.”
A new framework for digital services
The new framework under the DSA is founded on European values,
including the respect of human rights, freedom, democracy, equality and
the rule of law. It will rebalance the rights and responsibilities of
users, online intermediaries, including online platforms as well as very
large online platforms, and public authorities.
The DSA contains EU-wide due diligence obligations that will apply to
all digital services that connect consumers to goods, services, or
content, including new procedures for faster removal of illegal content
as well as comprehensive protection for users' fundamental rights
online.
In scope of the DSA are various online intermediary services. Their obligations under the DSA depend on their role, size, and impact on the online ecosystem. These online intermediary services include:
- Intermediary services offering network infrastructure: Internet access providers, domain name registrars;
- Hosting services such as cloud computing and webhosting services;
- Very large online search engines with more than 10% of the 450
million consumers in the EU, and therefore, more responsibility in
curbing illegal content online;
- Online platforms bringing together sellers and consumers such as
online marketplaces, app stores, collaborative economy platforms and
social media platforms;
- Very large online platforms, with a reach of more than 10% of the
450 million consumers in the EU, which could pose particular risks in
the dissemination of illegal content and societal harms.
more at Commission
© European Commission
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