Not only ugly, but many other insults, attacks, expressions of hatred are unfortunately frequent on social networks and in general on the net.

Even the headlines these days report such news.

The Digital Service Act should also be a means to stop this behaviour.

It is a European regulation, which will come into force on 17 February 2024 and as such immediately valid and binding also in Italy.

The main addressees are the so-called 'gatekeepers', i.e. all those subjects that can be qualified as controllers of access to the digital market, first of all social networks, which almost everyone uses, and obviously also platforms for online shopping.

They will not only be required to stop hate speech and 'fake news', but also to fight against illegal content, including goods and services. For instance with regard to online advertising, gatekeepers will have to allow those who do it, to independently verify the outcome of advertisements.

 Instead, today business owners have to take the reports provided by platforms for true.

There will also be protections for minors, who in particular will no longer be able to be shown invitations to purchase on the basis of their profiling as such.

The Digital Service Act is very wide-ranging and articulate, and it is not possible to go into its content in depth here. But it is important that we all be aware of its existence and let me hope and wish, that with it, the violent and hateful expressions, which are so frequent on the net today, will be curbed as much as possible.

last update october 2023