On 25 November 2021, the European Council agreed on their position on the Digital Services Act, including transparency reporting requirements. Firstly, all online platforms will be required to publish specific information, such as who is paying for the advertisements that are displayed and who the advertising is targeting, as well as clearly identify them as such. Secondly, all online platforms will be required to provide transparency reports at least every six months, including the number of accounts suspended, content deleted, and the time it takes to do so. For intermediate services, just yearly reports are necessary. Thirdly, users must be able to see trader information on online platforms and very large platforms. They must also check the credentials of any third-party vendors. Finally, in their terms of service, all service providers must disclose information on any content limitations. With regards to very large online platforms (VLOPs), these transparency requirements will apply to them specifically: 1) VLOPs will be required to maintain validated ad databases, which will contain historical data on the content and targeting of advertising, as well as the overall number of receivers reached. Such records must be preserved for one year following the last time the ad is displayed.
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