European Commission Applauds Inclusion of Revised Code of Conduct in Digital Services Act
The European Commission and the European Board for Digital Services announced the integration of the revised “Code of Conduct on countering illegal hate speech online” into the Digital Services Act (DSA) on Monday, Jurist News reported. This move aims to enhance user safety and combat harmful content in accordance with EU law.
The updated code introduces recommendations for signatories, including the requirement to present country-level data on hate speech and the establishment of a network of “monitoring reporters.” These public entities will oversee how platforms handle hate speech notifications, with participants obligated to review at least two-thirds of such notices within 24 hours.
The DSA is recognized as a pivotal regulation for digital space protection, boasting unprecedented ambition in social media regulation. It empowers the commission to retain or request information from platforms to ensure user integrity. A report indicates that the effectiveness of the code has improved, with the removal of hateful content rising from 28% in 2016 to 72% in 2019.
The original Code of Conduct, initiated in 2016, was signed by major platforms like Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, and YouTube. The next steps involve evaluating the code’s effectiveness and monitoring compliance among platforms to achieve its objectives.
