European Regulation of Digital Services – the DSA
The Digital Services Act (DSA), an initiative by the European Commission, is aimed at further enhancing the safety and, trustworthiness of online environments.
The DSA is now in force and for the majority of in-scope service providers its provisions will apply from 17 February 2024, but for some of the larger service providers its provisions have applied since 16 November 2022.
The DSA introduces a tiered regulatory system for all intermediary service providers, assigning them clearly defined roles and responsibilities. There are basic due diligence obligations for all intermediaries, with broader duties including content moderation for providers such as hosting services and online platforms. The DSA also introduces categories of Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs), recognised for their significant and positive societal impact.
The DSA will significantly impact intermediary services due to increased compliance burdens.
In this guide, we present an overview of the key features of the DSA, including the range of obligations imposed on all tiers of intermediary service provider and the enforcement framework.
For further information in relation to this topic, please contact any member of ALG's Commercial & Technology team.
Date published: 8 June 2023