The Digital Services Act (DSA) protects internet users by securing their basic online rights and offering them more control and choices across social media, websites, and search engines.
The DSA also requires platforms to minimise the risks of exposing citizens, including children and young people, to illegal and harmful content.
With the DSA, your digital rights include:
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- Transparency in content removals
If your content is removed or suspended, platforms must explain why this has been done. -
- Options to appeal to content moderation decisions
If you disagree with a content moderation decision taken by a platform, you can appeal it through the platform itself or an out-of-court dispute settlement body, which is faster and cheaper than going to court. -
- Easy flagging of illegal content
You can report illegal content, goods or services via an easy-to-use mechanism directly on the platform you are using. Platforms must respond to your reports and offer options to appeal their decisions. -
- Enhanced protection for minors
Platforms must take measures to safeguard minors on their services, such as reducing the risks of exposure to age-inappropriate content like gambling or pornography. The DSA also introduces a complete ban on showing targeted advertisements to children. -
- Feed options
On large platforms with over 45 million monthly users in the EU, you can now opt for non-personalised feeds. This way, you decide whether to see content based on the algorithm’s suggestions, sometimes pushing specific content which may be more appealing or even addictive, or other criteria, such as the chronological order. -
- Ad transparency
Ads must be clearly labelled as such and include information like who is placing them and why you are seeing them, while very large online platforms are required to store ad information in a publicly accessible repository. Platforms can no longer show you ads based on your sensitive data, such as sexual orientation, religion, or race. -
- Ban on dark patterns
Deceptive design tactics, such as aggressive pop-ups or confusing and misleading consent buttons, are now prohibited. -
- Verified sellers
Marketplaces must verify and display the contact details of sellers, so you have clear information about whom you’re buying goods or services from.
