Digital Services Act (DSA)
Also known as: DSA, EU Digital Services Act, Regulation (EU) 2022/2065
The Digital Services Act (DSA) is the EU law that sets rules for online intermediaries and platforms, from hosting services to social networks and marketplaces, covering illegal content, ad transparency, and protection of minors.
While earlier EU rules mainly shielded platforms from liability, the DSA adds duties that scale with size. The largest platforms face the heaviest obligations, including independent audits and fines of up to 6% of global turnover.
Digital Services Act (DSA), explained at three levels
At home
If you use social media or online marketplaces in the EU, the DSA gives you more control and information. You can report illegal content easily, find out why a post was removed, appeal decisions, and see why you're being shown an ad.
At work
Online businesses that host or share user content in the EU, such as marketplaces, forums, or app stores, must follow the DSA. Small businesses have lighter duties, while the largest platforms face strict requirements.
At home
The DSA bans targeted ads based on sensitive data like religion or sexual orientation, and bans targeted ads aimed at minors based on profiling. Very large platforms must offer at least one feed option that isn't based on profiling, so you can choose a non-personalized timeline.
At work
Obligations are tiered: all intermediaries need points of contact and transparent terms; hosting services need notice-and-action systems; online platforms need complaint handling, trader verification for marketplaces, and ad transparency; very large platforms and search engines must assess and mitigate systemic risks, undergo independent audits, and share data with vetted researchers.
At home
The DSA also bans 'dark patterns,' interface designs that trick or pressure you into choices you didn't intend, on online platforms. In my opinion, that rule could matter more than content moderation provisions, because manipulative design affects everyone, every day, while illegal content affects far fewer.
At work
Enforcement is split: national Digital Services Coordinators oversee most services, while the European Commission directly supervises very large platforms and search engines and charges them a supervisory fee. Risk assessments must cover illegal content, fundamental rights, civic discourse and elections, public health, and minors. The DSA has also become a trade and free-speech flashpoint with the United States, which adds political risk to enforcement decisions.
Real-world examples
At home
Sophie, living in Lyon, had a post removed from a social platform. Under the DSA, the platform had to explain why, and she used the appeal process to challenge the decision. The post was reinstated after human review.
At work
Carlos runs operations at a Canadian online marketplace selling to EU customers. To meet DSA rules, his team set up a way for users to report illegal listings, verified the identities of sellers, and added a page explaining how listings are ranked.
How it compares
| feature | Digital Services Act (DSA) | Digital Markets Act (DMA) |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Content, transparency, and user safety | Competition and fair markets |
| Who is covered | All intermediaries, scaled by size | Only designated gatekeepers |
| Maximum fine | 6% of global turnover | 10% of global turnover, 20% for repeat violations |
| Example obligation | Explain content removals and offer appeals | Allow alternative app stores or payment options |
| Fully applicable | February 2024 | May 2023, with gatekeeper compliance from March 2024 |
The DSA governs how platforms treat users and content; the DMA governs how big platforms treat competitors.
For analysts
Even small platforms selling into Europe need a basic DSA setup: a notice-and-action process, clear terms, and seller verification for marketplaces. I'd treat it like accessibility. Build it into the product once, rather than retrofitting it under pressure.
History & origin
The DSA updated the EU's 2000 e-Commerce Directive, which had governed online platforms for two decades. Proposed in December 2020 together with the Digital Markets Act, it entered into force on November 16, 2022. In April 2023, the European Commission designated the first 'very large online platforms' and 'very large online search engines,' those with more than 45 million monthly EU users, and their obligations applied from August 2023. The DSA became fully applicable to all covered services on February 17, 2024. The Commission opened formal proceedings against several platforms, including X, TikTok, and Meta, and issued its first non-compliance fine, against X, in late 2025. In my view, the DSA's real innovation is systemic risk assessment: it asks platforms to prove they've considered the harms their design causes, not just remove bad posts.