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A spotlight on the new Digital Services Act Package: A new series of webinars
In 2019, the European Commission launched the process for the adoption of a comprehensive regulatory package, the so-called Digital Services Act package (DSA). Two new Regulation proposals were published on 15 December 2020 and aim at modernising the current legal framework for digital services.
At a key point in the discussions on this new legislative framework, we are organising a series of webinars dealing with specific topics, where the areas of interplay between the DSA package and existing regulatory instruments may appear more complex in order to help pave the way for a structured exchange among stakeholders, with the Observatory team acting as facilitator for the discussion.
Transparency of content moderation
on social media
Thursday 18 March 2021, 16.00-17.15
Social Media providers have become a sort of judge, jury and executioner regarding important issues of freedom of expression online. The DSA gives users and consumers the possibility to contest the decisions taken by the online platforms to remove their content, including when these decisions are based on platforms' terms and conditions. It also proposes rules on transparency of content moderation decisions. How will these rules work in practice?
The DSA package is a so-called horizontal regulatory framework, that applies to any online intermediary service. Regarding the audiovisual sector, this means that video-sharing platforms will be subject to the new rules, but not broadcasting or VOD services. Being editorially responsible platforms, the latter are subject to the Audiovisual media services directive. Which regulatory tools apply to AVMS services with a potential gateway function on the market?
The DSA complements the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market. How will the interplay between the due diligence obligations imposed on online platforms and the obligations foreseen in Art. 17 of the Copyright Directive work in practice? The focus of this session will include the trusted flagger regime, Know Your Business Customer, stay down obligations, more expeditious takedowns of the IP protected content and repeat infringers.
The DSA focuses on fixing platforms' vulnerabilities against their manipulation in order to amplify harmful behaviours, such as the spread of political disinformation, hoaxes and manipulation during pandemics, harms to vulnerable groups. A supervised risk-based approach will oblige very large platforms to assess and mitigate the risks their systems pose, including for protecting fundamental rights, public interests, public health and security, and to subject their assessments and measures to independent audit. How will the interplay between the DSA package and the provisions contained in the European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP) and the Media and Audiovisual Action Plan (MAAP) work in practice?
The new Digital Services Act Package: a paradigm shift? Introduction by Francisco Cabrera Blázquez
Event programme
Gatekeepers in the Audiovisual Sector: Regulatory and Competition-related Aspects
