Source: European Parliament
The Digital Services Act (DSA)[1] applies to intermediary services offered to users located within the EU. Ensuring fair and consistent content moderation that protects users’ fundamental rights is one of the DSA’s main goals.
In the EU, the providers of very large online platforms’ (VLOPs) and very large online search engines (VLOSEs)[2] must assess and mitigate risks related to the dissemination of illegal and harmful content including to the exercise of fundamental rights.
In addition, these providers must consider how such risks are influenced by their content moderation systems, including on how the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) can amplify it.
To comply with these obligations, ensuring quality and transparency of content moderation decisions is paramount. While automated content moderation, including by means of AI, is possible, the DSA requires intermediary services providers to be transparent about the use of automation and its accuracy as content moderation system.
Providers must publish transparency reports and submit to a public database information about the level of automation of their content moderation decisions[3].
Furthermore, the internal complaint-handling systems need to be operated under the supervision of qualified staff, ensuring fair and unbiased decision-making processes .
Lastly, researchers can request data from the providers of VLOPs and VLOSEs[4] to conduct research into systemic risks in the EU, including investigating the role of AI in content moderations. Access to data by researchers is key to ensure accountability and public scrutiny.
Thanks to these mechanisms of transparency and accountability, EU citizens have access to information about platforms’ inner workings. The Commission is diligently enforcing these provisions[5].
- [1] Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market for Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act) OJ L277/1.
- [2] Such as TikTok.
- [3] How the Digital Services Act enhances transparency online https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/dsa-brings-transparency.
- [4] U nder DSA Article 40.
- [5] Findings related to ongoing investigations are confidential until publicly communicated. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/list-designated-vlops-and-vloses.