Urbano Reviglio (1) and Matteo Fabbri (2) (1) Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom, European University Institute, Fiesole (2) IMT School for Advanced Studies, Lucca, Italy In this contribution, we offer a critical overview of the interplay between the DSA requirements on the transparency and user controls for recommender systems and the design features that may be operationalized to comply with them.| DSA Observatory - a hub of expertise on the DSA package.
Investigation: Platforms still use manipulative design despite DSA rules| dsa-observatory.eu
By Chitra Mohanlal, Tech Researcher at Bits of Freedom Our recent investigation into a selection of Very Large Online Platforms reveals multiple potential breaches of the DSA relating to manipulative design (Article 25), recommender system transparency (Article 27), and the obligation to offer alternative recommender systems (Article 38). The report explains and illustrates several types of manipulative design practices on platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, Shein, Zalando and Boo...| DSA Observatory - a hub of expertise on the DSA package.
By Pieter Wolters & Frederik Zuiderveen What does the Digital Services Act (DSA) mean for online advertising and adtech (advertising technology)? This blogpost, based on a new research paper, explores that question. The most controversial insight is that ad networks and some other adtech companies must — based on an analysis of the DSA’s definitions — be considered ‘platforms’ in the sense of the DSA. Hence, they must comply with the DSA’s general rules for platforms. ...| DSA Observatory
By Sophie Stalla-Bourdillon, (Brussels Privacy Hub, LSTS, VUB) The European Commission’s guidelines on protecting minors online take important steps toward building a comprehensive list of relevant service design and organizational measures that are relevant under Article 28(1) DSA. But in doing so, they also risk oversimplifying a complex regulatory trade-off that underlies the deployment of age assurance methods. This blog post argues that the guidelines overstate the proportionality of a...| DSA Observatory - a hub of expertise on the DSA package.
By Sophie Stalla-Bourdillon, Co-director of the Brussels Privacy Hub, LSTS, VUB Despite its obvious merits, it remains unclear whether the Commission’s draft delegated act on access to platform data strikes the right balance between data providers’ commercial interests and the public interest. This contribution highlights three points from the draft with recommendations to help preserve researcher autonomy.| DSA Observatory - a hub of expertise on the DSA package.
As the Digital Services Act (DSA) approaches its second anniversary of full applicability across the EU, the DSA Observatory at the University of Amsterdam will host its second international conference on ‘The DSA and Platform Regulation’. The event will take place at the Amsterdam Law School on 16-17 February 2026. The conference will reflect on| DSA Observatory - a hub of expertise on the DSA package.
Researcher access to platform data: Experts weigh in on the Delegated Act| dsa-observatory.eu
Shortcomings of the first DSA Audits — and how to do better| dsa-observatory.eu
By Daniel Holznagel At the end of 2024, the first audit reports under the Digital Services Act were published. Most were produced by Big Four accounting firms. Most were not very ambitious. This post collects impressions from digesting most (not all) of these reports — focusing on five structural shortcomings that severely limit their usefulness: from illegitimate audit gaps to auditors' apparent reluctance to interpret the law or meaningfully assess systemic risks (especially around recomm...| DSA Observatory
By Paddy Leerssen, Anna van Duin, Iris Toepoel, and Joris van Hoboken Discussion of DSA enforcement tend to focus on regulatory action by the European Commission and national Digital Services Coordinators, but private actors are also taking the DSA to court. This report looks at the underexplored but important role of private enforcement—where individuals, NGOs, or consumer groups bring legal action themselves. It examines key DSA provisions with potential for such claims and outlines the l...| DSA Observatory
By Taylor Annabell, Utrecht University Under the DSA, social media platforms must provide clear tools for influencers to disclose paid content. But how well do they meet this obligation, and how rigorously is compliance assessed? This post compares eight DSA audit reports on influencer marketing disclosures under Article 26(2) and finds striking inconsistencies in how audits were conducted, what was measured, and how “compliance” was defined. The findings raise broader concerns about audi...| DSA Observatory - a hub of expertise on the DSA package.
By Magdalena Jóźwiak, DSA Observatory Drawing on a March 2025 workshop hosted by the DSA Observatory, this post shares reflections from researchers and civil society experts engaging with the DSA’s systemic risk framework—examining legal foundations, enforcement challenges, and the role of the research community in shaping its development. The post The DSA’s Systemic Risk Framework: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead first appeared on DSA Observatory.| DSA Observatory
By John Albert and Paddy Leerssen, DSA Observatory Drawing on a March 2025 workshop hosted by the DSA Observatory, this post shares practical and strategic insights from researchers preparing to make use of Article 40(4), from scoping proposals and navigating compliance to building collective support structures. The post Workshop Report: Researchers on Data Access and Preparing for DSA Article 40(4) first appeared on DSA Observatory.| DSA Observatory
By Alissa Cooper and Peter Chapman, Knight-Georgetown Institute The Digital Services Act sets out broad new legal requirements to make recommender systems more transparent and accountable, including for their role in systemic risks. To fulfill that promise, implementation must go beyond basic disclosures and defaults; it must shape how these systems are designed and assessed over time. A new report from the Knight-Georgetown Institute and its accompanying EU Policy Brief offer a practical roa...| DSA Observatory - a hub of expertise on the DSA package.
By John Albert, DSA Observatory This post shares insights from a DSA Observatory workshop held on 18 November 2024, where researchers and legal experts met to discuss what’s new in the draft delegated act, what’s missing, and how to approach the Commission’s call for feedback.| DSA Observatory - a hub of expertise on the DSA package.
Magdalena Jóźwiak, Researcher, DSA Observatory, University of Amsterdam By the end of November 2024, the VLOPs and VLOSEs first designated by the Commission on 25 April 2023, are expected to publish their risk assessment reports, providing long-awaited insights into this crucial due diligence mechanism introduced by the DSA. This post offers an overview of the information that platforms are expected to make publicly available in the coming days and examines the main activities undertaken so...| DSA Observatory - a hub of expertise on the DSA package.
by Paddy Leerssen, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Amsterdam 6 August 2024 This post discusses a recent decision from the Amsterdam District Court, in which an end-user of X was awarded damages due to the platform’s undisclosed ‘shadow banning’ of their profile. An early victory for user rights: on 5 July 2024,| DSA Observatory - a hub of expertise on the DSA package.
Anna Morandini (PhD candidate at the European University Institute) Auditors hold significant power in reviewing the DSA compliance of very large online platforms and search engines (‘VLOPs’ and ‘VLOSEs’). Their role includes evaluating platform policies on systemic risk management. In October, the Commission adopted the delegated regulation on the performance of DSA audits (‘DRA’)| DSA Observatory - a hub of expertise on the DSA package.