Almost two years after the introduction of the Digital Services Act (DSA), the European Commission, in tandem with the Committee of National Coordinators and the Union’s regulators, presented a first-ever report on the recurring systemic risks present on the major online platforms, as provided for in Article 35(2) of the text.
This 48-page report details and analyses the entire landscape of the most significant risks posed by the ecosystem of online networks, media and platforms, based on data provided by the platforms themselves and on independent research (see EUROPE 13741/25).
The result is an almost exhaustive mapping of the main failings attributed to platforms, often highlighted by the European Commission during its numerous investigations (see EUROPE 13738/1), as well as an analysis of their ability to react to these threats.
Dissemination of illegal content, threats to fundamental rights, risks to mental health and the protection of minors online, protection of intellectual property, manipulation of information, socio-economic risks induced by AI... While the list of grievances is long, the report’s conclusions are accommodating. Despite the scale of the risks identified, the study considers that the measures put in place by 'very large online platforms’ (‘VLOPs’) to mitigate the impact of these risks are proving effective.
Among the notable mitigation measures, the report highlights the use of automated systems to detect illegal activities, improvements to both human and automatic moderation systems, better screening of content for minors, greater transparency and a start on adjusting algorithms.
Platforms recognise that certain geopolitical contexts (elections, health crises, conflicts) increase certain risks.
To date, the Commission has opened nine investigations under the DSA, on various grounds ranging from the protection of minors to disinformation and content moderation. In the past two years, none have been closed, and impatience is growing among some political representatives, particularly in the European Parliament (see EUROPE 13632/2).
This type of report, which will become an annual recurrence, should serve as a reference point for analysing the VLOP ecosystem and assisting the Commission in its work to implement the DSA.
To see the report: https://aeur.eu/f/jk7 (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)