THE European legislation for digital services comes into full effect tomorrow, Saturday, with obligations now being imposed on all online platforms, under threat of fines, to better protect users from illegal content.

The Digital Services Act (DSA) applies already from the end of August to the most powerful companies such as X, TikTok, as well as the main Meta services (Facebook, Instagram), Apple, Google, Microsoft or Amazon .

The European Union therefore launched a formal investigation in December targeting Elon Musk’s social network for alleged breaches of its obligations to combat disinformation, the transmission of violent images or incitement to hatred.

A total of 22 very big internet players, including three porn sites, have been brought under the direct supervision of the European Commission, which has hired more than 100 experts in Brussels to help it in its new role as digital gatekeeper.

As of Saturday, key elements of the regulation apply to all platforms, regardless of their size, with partial relief only for smaller businesses. The aim is to put an end to unregulated spaces: what is illegal off-line should be on.

“We are fully mobilized to ensure the full implementation of the DSA and we urge all Member States to make the most of our new regulation,” said Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton who proposed the text together with his fellow Commissioner Competition Margrethe Vestager.

Service providers are required, among other things, to offer Internet users simple tools to flag illegal content as defined by applicable laws (most often at national level) and to act “quickly” to remove them.

Commercial websites should verify the identity of sellers and block repeat fraudsters, especially when they deliver dangerous or ‘monkey’ products.

The advertising targeting of minors as well as the exploitation of data on gender, political ideas and religious beliefs are prohibited.

Heavy fines

Violators are subject to heavy fines of up to 6% of their global annual turnover, and even being banned from operating in Europe in case of serious and repeated violations.

On February 17, those sanctions also come into effect, including those on very large platforms that were already subject to regulation but not yet in its repressive arm.

“The internet has long been left to the whims of the big tech companies. The Digital Services Act will make things better by better protecting consumers,” says Ursula Pahl, director general of the European Bureau of Consumer Unions (BEUC).

The February 17 date may be important, but changes in practices “will take time, they are not decided by a law, because the mindset of users and businesses will have to change,” warns Alexandre de Streel, co-director of the center. think tank Center for Regulation in Europe (Cerre).

Platforms, which do not belong to the 22 “very large”, will be supervised by the authority of the country where they have their main establishment. EU member states have until tomorrow to appoint their national regulatory body so that they are ready to implement the new rules.

Even stricter provisions are reserved for the biggest players, whose great power entails more significant risks. These 22 giants were defined on the basis of a number of active users in Europe, estimated at at least 45 million.

Among the special obligations of very large platforms are those that oblige them to analyze the risks of using their service themselves and implement means to reduce them.

They are subject to increased transparency, with the obligation to provide the regulator with access to their algorithms and undergo an audit once a year at their own expense.