ERGA adopts proposals to strengthen the Digital Services Act (DSA) with regard to online content regulation

In the wake of its March 2021 declaration, ERGA has just adopted its " Proposals for strengthening the DSA with regard to online content regulation ".

ERGA's reflections on the DSA, and the drafting of these proposals, were carried out within the framework of a working group chaired by the French Superior Audiovisual Council.

For ERGA, the specific challenges raised by online content moderation policies summon specific systemic regulation. ERGA therefore recommends that online content regulation be entrusted to media regulatory authorities, which already have experience in this field and a recognized role as guarantors of freedom of expression and other fundamental rights.

ERGA also recommends that the scope of this regulation include all players who apply a moderation policy, including live diffusion services (livestreaming) and search engines, to which dedicated rules would apply. ERGA proposes an operational mode of cooperation between the authorities of the country of origin and those of the country of destination. The latter, well placed to assess the risks and intervene with regard to online content platforms on their territory, should have a significant involvement in the implementation of the future regulation. In this context, and with regard to the regulation of major pan-European players, a strengthening ERGA (ERGA+) is proposed, which would support and complement the scheme for cooperation between authorities.

The ERGA press release translated into French, below