Source: European Parliament
The Digital Services Act (DSA)[1] aims to contribute to a safe, predictable and trusted online environment that facilitates innovation and in which fundamental rights are protected.
Under the DSA, very large search engines (VLOSEs) and very large online platforms (VLOPs) with more than 45 million users in the EU, such as X, are subject to specific due diligence obligations, as given their size, they pose particular risks for the protection of fundamental rights, the dissemination of illegal content, civic discourse and electoral processes and societal harms online. The Commission is in charge of supervising and enforcing these obligations.
The actions taken under the DSA are aimed at ensuring that the systems, including algorithmic ones, of VLOSEs and VLOPs are not misused. Their providers must fulfil their responsibilities to identify and mitigate the risks related to such systems in the EU.
On 18 December 2023, the Commission opened an investigation into X’s compliance with the DSA[2]. This investigation covers, among other things, X’s compliance with the DSA in relation to the dissemination of illegal content and the effectiveness of the measures taken to combat platform and information manipulation. At this stage, the Commission cannot comment on ongoing investigations.
Finally, the Commission is continuously monitoring security matters related to social media platforms and has issued internal guidance regarding the use of such applications on the devices used for professional purposes. The Commission does not encourage the use of non-corporate tools for professional exchanges on such devices.
- [1] Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market for Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act).
- [2] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-opens-formal-proceedings-against-x-under-digital-services-act