Fines can be imposed under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).

The most stringent rules apply to 19 major platforms, such as Facebook and TikTok, which include plans to protect children and prevent election interference.

There have been many changes, some of which will affect UK users.

On 16 November 2022, the EU’s Digital Services Act became law while the UK Online Safety Bill is still in parliament.

The firms were given time to ensure their systems were compliant.

As part of its 25 April announcement, the commission identified the very large online platforms – those with over 45 million EU users – that would be subject to the toughest regulations. Alibaba, AliExpress, Amazon Store, Apple App Store, Booking.com, Facebook, Google Play, Google Maps, Google Shopping, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Wikipedia, YouTube and Zalando are some of them. The rules will also apply to Google and Bing.

The act gave them four months to comply with its rules. It will take until next year for smaller tech services to comply.

The service may be suspended if a breach occurs and a fine of 6% of turnover is imposed.

For these very large platforms and search engines, there are additional requirements in the DSA. They must assess potential risks they may cause, report that assessment, and put measures in place to resolve them. There were also commitments to provide more data to researchers: Google promised to make data more accessible to researchers who want to understand how Google Search, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Play, and Shopping work.

When asked by the some have not yet detailed the changes they have made. Twitter, formerly known as X, said it was “on track” to meet its compliance deadlines.

Zalando and Amazon have filed lawsuits challenging their designation as very large online platforms. According to Amazon, it is not the largest retailer in any of the EU countries where it operates.

Although Amazon has taken steps to comply with the act and has “created a new channel for reporting suspected illegal products and content”. According to the , Zalando will comply with the laws.

In response to the DSA, Wikipedia has made some changes, but the Foundation that supports the project says they shouldn’t affect users’ everyday experiences. The DSA’s approach to regulation is preferred to the online safety bill’s approach. Some of the requirements in the UK legislation would be difficult for it to meet.

In an interview with the , Phil Bradley-Schmieg, legal counsel at the Wikimedia Foundation, said, “We hope lawmakers emulate the DSA, understand the diverse internet ecosystem, and protect safe, free, and public projects online.”