Study on the Digital Services Act: Transparency database for online services does not meet objectives
A recent study reveals significant shortcomings in the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA) transparency database, designed to increase public understanding of how online services moderate content. The study indicates that the database, intended to enhance transparency and provide insights into content moderation practices, fails to meet its objectives due to fundamental design flaws. This development raises concerns about the effectiveness of current regulatory approaches. The database, which has data from over 200 providers, has received nearly four billion moderation decisions in the last six months. However, the study from the University of Zurich highlights issues with user-friendliness, accessibility, and the absence of critical data needed to monitor the spread of illegal content. The study also questions the consistency, reliability, and validity of the data reported by online services. This impacts users seeking clarity on content moderation decisions, as well as researchers and regulators aiming to oversee the digital space. The findings suggest that the database's current structure limits its ability to monitor illegal content and verify moderation decisions effectively. The researchers advocate for improvements and a reevaluation of the regulatory goals themselves.
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