Digital Services Act: How Wikimedia manages to meet the requirements of the EU
The Wikimedia Foundation, which operates Wikipedia, has successfully adapted to the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), despite being a non-commercial entity with fewer resources than major digital corporations. The DSA aims to grant users more rights and curb the spread of illegal content online. After two years of implementation, the Foundation has provided a positive assessment of its compliance efforts. Wikipedia, with roughly 150 million monthly users, already had a strong foundation of transparency before the DSA. Existing practices like publishing semi-annual transparency reports facilitated compliance. New DSA requirements focused on content moderation transparency, which the Foundation addressed by adding new contact options and providing data access for researchers. The most significant change for Wikimedia involves the annual assessment of systemic risks and implementation of mitigation measures, a key aspect of the DSA. The Foundation used a "funnel system" to assess risks, considering global risks, feedback from volunteers, and the DSA itself to pinpoint those relevant to its platform within the EU. Desinformation, particularly related to conflicts, elections, and historical narratives, was identified as the most significant risk. Wikipedia already has measures in place to counter manipulative edits, which anyone can attempt. These safeguards include tools to flag suspicious edits and restrictions on who can edit certain articles. The Foundation's experience provides an example of how smaller organizations can navigate the complexities of digital regulation in Europe, demonstrating a commitment to maintaining a trustworthy online platform.
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