User rights under the EU Digital Services Act

What are your online rights and what can you do if platforms or search engines act wrongfully? What does the Digital Services Act (DSA) bring you?

I) Core user rights on online platforms

How can you report illegal content and contact online platforms?

• 1.1) Lodging Complaints

  Platforms must offer a clear and accessible contact point so you can easily reach them and report or complain about any issue
  Article 12

• 1.2) Report illegal content

  If you encounter illegal content (like child sexual abuse materials, counterfeit products, etc.) you can notify the platforms directly using their reporting mechanisms.
  Article 16

• 1.3) Understand decisions

  Platforms must explain their content moderation decisions clearly to all affected users.
  Article 17

II) Remedies and representation

What can be done if the platform doesn’t respond timely or if you don’t agree with the content moderation decision?

• 2.1) Challenge decisions

  If you disagree with a platform’s decision, you can use its internal complaint system to request a review.
  Article 20

• 2.2) Independent dispute settlement

  You can also turn to a dispute settlement body, including when internal review does not lead to a satisfactory outcome.
  Article 21

• 2.3) Be represented

  You may choose to be assisted or represented by an organisation or a legal professional when exercising your rights.
  Article 86

III) Transparency and choice

Why are platforms showing you certain content?

• 3.1) Advertising transparency

  Platforms must clearly indicate when content is advertising and provide meaningful information about who paid for it and why you are seeing it.
  Very large platforms must also maintain public advertising libraries.
  Articles 26 & 39

• 3.2) Understand recommended content

  Platforms must explain in clear terms the main parameters used in their content recommendation systems and how these influence the content you see.
  Very large platforms must also offer at least one recommendation option that is not based on profiling.
  Articles 27 & 38

IV) Enforcement and redress

• 4.1) Complain to authorities

  If you suspect a breach of the DSA, you can submit a complaint to a national Digital Services Coordinator (DSC).
  Article 53

• 4.2) Go to court

  You always retain the right to seek judicial redress under EU or national law. Courts remain the ultimate authority to review decisions taken by platforms and authorities.

• 4.3) Seek compensation

  You have the right to bring a claim before a national court to seek compensation from a platform for any damage or loss caused by a platform infringement of its DSA obligations.
  Article 54

V) Reporting systemic issues and whistleblowing

These steps help authorities assess patterns of compliance and take appropriate follow-up action.

• 5.1) Whistleblower

  Insiders with knowledge of potential infringements can report information confidentially through the European Commission’s secure whistleblower tool.

• 5.2) Incident reporting

  You can report systemic issues regarding potential DSA infringements by designated very large online platforms or online search engines (VLOPs/VLOSEs), to [email protected]. Use separate, aggregated datasets for each designated service, if possible.

• 5.3) CSO Reports or studies

  Civil society organisations (CSOs) conducting reports or studies related to the DSA can submit them through our CSO Online Form.