Digital Services Act – Overview For Irish Start-Ups

The Digital Services Act is part of the European Digital Strategy, shaping Europe’s Digital Future. As part of this strategy, the European Commission published two legislative initiatives on 15 December 2020: the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act.

The Digital Services Act regulates the obligations of digital services that act as intermediaries in their role of connecting consumers with goods, services, and content. It modernises the liability regime for intermediate service providers, increases transparency obligations and regulatory oversight over online platforms, and provides for substantial fines (up to 6% of turnover).