Ever since the Digital Services Act (DSA) came into force 2 years ago, the European Commission—faced with countless attacks from the US (see EUROPE 13800/6)—has been tirelessly repeating, “The DSA is not a censorship tool.” It now has the figures to support its argument.
According to findings published on Tuesday, 17 February, nearly 50 million content moderation decisions taken by online platforms have been overturned thanks to the DSA in Europe.
In fact, the DSA makes it easier for users to challenge certain content moderation decisions (suspension, removal) taken by platforms that they consider to be abusive or insufficiently justified, notably by invoking Articles 15, 20, and 21. It is a way to assert users’ rights in the face of the power wielded by big ‘tech’ companies.
According to the European Commission’s figures, 30% of the 165 million content moderation decisions that have been contested the past 2 years were overturned.
The European Commission affirms that 99% of the content moderation decisions taken by platforms during the first half of 2025 “were taken [...] to enforce their own terms and conditions, rather than to remove content reported as illegal under EU or national law”—a striking figure if ever there were one.
During the first half of 2025, out-of-court settlement bodies examined more than 1,800 disputes related to content on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok in the EU and overturned 52% of the platforms’ decisions. (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)