Digital Services Act - Tackling disinformation & improving mental wellbeing: key takeaways from DSA stakeholder event

On 27 June, the European Commission organised a Digital Services Act (DSA) stakeholder event to facilitate the engagement of companies and organisations with the European Commission and contribute insights into the challenges to implementing the new regulation. Over 2,000 people attended the event, with 1,500 joining online.

During the opening keynote, Roberto Viola, director general of the European Commission's directorate-general for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT), pointed out that the DSA aims to fix the shortcomings of the Internet when it comes to the mental wellbeing of young generations, illegal speech, discrimination and gender violence online. According to Mr Viola, bots and algorithms must be under regulatory review. He also stressed that it is essential that researchers have access to the data of online platforms.

Overall, Mr Viola stated that the Commission's role is to understand how commercial platforms can shape recommender systems without unwanted bias and abuse. In this context, he said that intellectual property rights should be respected on the web and that consumers should be protected online. Concerning enforcement, the Commission sees stakeholder interaction and engagement as the way forward.

A plenary panel addressed questions on the impact of social media on young people, what platforms should do to guard against online addiction, cyberbullying and measures to increase mental wellbeing. Professor Patty Valkenburg of Amsterdam University described how academic investigations show that social media can positively impact wellbeing and be beneficial for friendship between minors. On the other hand, 5% (five million) of children in the EU show strong negative effects from social media.

The panellists stressed the importance of access to online platform data for researchers, responsibility by design and an effective enforcement ecosystem. Audience members agreed on the importance of age verification and awareness-raising of potential risks with young people. Some speakers suggested that algorithmic adjustments are needed to reduce the potential negative impacts of social media. In general, access to data was considered key to gaining further insights into elements of causality and facilitating the shaping of efficient regulatory measures.

Renate Nikolay, Deputy Director-General of DG CONNECT said that the DSA will require companies to adapt their business structures with the help of insights gained from the new European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency (ECAT) in Seville. According to Ms Nikolay, the dialogue with platforms is showing initial positive effects, but regulators should refrain from imposing detailed solutions.

The event included parallel break-out sessions on specific topics, including making shopping online safer; protecting intellectual property on online services; dark patterns and advertising; mental wellbeing; keeping children safe online; countering and preventing hate and extremism; gender-based and cyber violence; data access for researchers; online disinformation and algorithms; as well as freedom of expression and media pluralism. During these sessions, industry stakeholders exchanged thoughts on the potential strengths and limitations of the DSA.

A closing panel focused on tackling online disinformation. Rita Wezenbeek, Director Platforms at DG CONNECT, said that "regulation makes online platforms partners of the Commission".

The panel of academics and an investigative journalist suggested that disinformation will continue to exist given the demand and money to be made. On the other hand, they argued that the success of disinformation campaigns is dependent on the health of democracies. Overall, the panellists agreed that – next to increasing digital literacy – more research into online platform data is needed to develop effective solutions against disinformation. Within five years, platforms should have learned how to tackle disinformation. According to the panellists, a systemic approach and building alliances with other democracies outside the EU is needed.

The Commission will publish an event report on the DSA stakeholder event webpage within the coming weeks.

For more information contact Feyo Sickinghe.

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