European Union: Entry into force of Digital Services Act including transparency reporting requirements

On 16 November 2022, the Regulation on a Single Market For Digital Services (Digital Services Act) enters into force. Under the DSA, the platforms will be required to publish specific information, such as who is paying for the advertisements displayed and who is subject to targeting. Secondly, 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 dedicated to content moderation. Thirdly, users would be able to see trader information on online platforms and very large platforms. Furthermore, the online platforms must also check the credentials of any third-party vendors. Concerning very large online platforms, they will have to follow additional transparency requirements, including maintaining validated advertising databases, which will contain historical data on the content and targeted advertising, as well as the overall number of receivers reached. The requirements will be implemented on 17 February 2024.