July 20, 2020

ICANN’s document is essentially a guide to the proposed Digital Services Act (DSA). It explains that the legislative proposal is a response to growing concern over the roles and responsibilities of online platforms in recent years, and is the latest attempt to update elements of the E-Commerce Directive (2000/31/EC), including liability provisions for intermediaries.

ICANN explains that the DSA will turn the E-Commerce Directive into a Regulation that applies directly across the EU. In addition, the DSA is expected to introduce updated rules on removing illegal content posted online, and to address concerns about algorithm transparency, disinformation, and targeted advertising.

ICANN also says that the DSA is expected to introduce additional measures for so-called “gatekeeping platforms”, which is an indirect reference to large online actors, to prevent them from abusing their size to harm competitors. The DSA will forbid large platforms from imposing unfair terms, such as using data created by businesses using their platform for their own growth. To read the ICANN document in full, click here.