The text with amendments to the Digital Services Act was approved during the first plenary session of the European Parliament on 20 January 2022.

 This means that the two legislative bodies of the EU, Parliament and Council, will start the negotiation process during the trilogue sessions with the European Commission, early 2022.

The Digital Services Act builds upon the E-commerce directive of 2000 and the approved text includes a wide range of measures to streamline the activities of big platforms and protect consumers’ online behaviour.

Platforms would have to conduct annual risk assessments to look into dissemination of illegal content, protection of fundamental rights and freedoms, public health and consumer’s online safety.

Deep fake is an important application where providers should notify users that generated or manipulated content (video, images or audio) need to be labelled to be inauthentic in clear and visible way.

Furthermore, platforms need to become transparent and need to provide information how their data is being monetised and consumers should be able to have full access to the functionalities of the platform even if they refuse to consent to the processing of personal data for advertisements.

ALDE Vice President and Vice President of the European Parliament Dita Charanzová MEP (Czech Republic) welcomed the agreed proposal saying that the Digital Services Act is an important step towards an Internet that is safer and better place, which respects the freedom of speech while supporting our European businesses. She adds:

“This creates a better system that will help us fight illegal content while giving our citizens more rights. One that requires the big giants to take a transparent look at themselves and to address the risks that are inherent within their systems. All providers, including marketplaces, have a social responsibility towards us, their users and this includes protecting children online.”

Charanzová is the Renew Europe shadow rapporteur on the DSA in the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO).