The Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) have two main goals: to create a safer digital space in which the fundamental rights of all users of digital services are protected and to establish a level playing field to foster innovation, growth, and competitiveness, both in the European Single Market and globally.

The&nbsp;Digital Services Act (DSA)&nbsp;aims to create a safer digital space in which users rights are protected, including rules to tackle illegal content online, enhance the accountability and transparency of algorithms, and dealing with content moderation and targeted advertising.

Digital Markets Act&nbsp; (DMA) sets rules on what big online platforms will be allowed to do and not do in the EU. It&nbsp;blacklists certain practices of large platforms acting as “gatekeepers” and enables the Commission to carry out market investigations and sanction non-compliant behaviour.

Digital Services and Digital Markets Act

MEPs discuss the need to enforce the Digital Services Act (DSA) to safeguard democracy from foreign interference and algorithmic manipulation. 
The debate with Council and Commission representatives will focus on the compliance of major social media companies with the DSA, which sets clear obligations for digital service providers to tackle the spread of illegal content, online disinformation, and other societal risks. 
MEPs are expected to express concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability of platforms’ recommender systems and their failure to tackle risks, like disinformation and foreign interference. This follows a plenary debate on 17 December 2024, which addressed the issue of online disinformation in European elections. During that discussion, many MEPs urged the Commission to actively enforce the DSA and impose sanctions on platforms that violate EU rules.  
MEPs are also likely to bring up the future of the transatlantic partnership on technology, particularly in the context of the inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump on 20 January, Elon Musk’s involvement in the US government and Meta’s recent decision to end its fact-checking programme. 
Background 
While the DSA does not regulate personal views or opinions, it introduces measures to tackle illegal content - such as terrorist material and child sexual abuse - in full compliance with the principles of freedom of expression and information. The legislation ensures users have a right to challenge unlawful or arbitrary content moderation decisions by online platforms. At the same time, online platforms are required to be more transparent about their operations, including about their “recommender systems”.

Debate on the need to enforce DSA to protect democracy

Press conference on Enforcing the Digital Services Act

EP Plenary session - The need to enforce the Digital Services Act to protect democracy on social media platforms against foreign interference and biased algorithms

EP Plenary session - Commission statement - Global measures towards social media platforms - Strengthening the role of DSA and protecting the democracy and freedom in the online sphere

EP Plenary session - Topical debate (Rule 162) - The fight against hate speech and disinformation: responsibility of social platforms within the Digital Services Act

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - Fighting disinformation and dissemination of illegal content in the context of the Digital Services Act

EP Plenary session - Short presentation on eGovernment accelerating digital public services that support the functioning of the single market

Press conference , on the outcome of the final vote of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA)

EP Plenary session - Join Debate - Digital Single Market

This infoclip gives an overview of the tech giants Meta, Amazon, Google,TikTok, LinkedIn and X. In 2025 Meta announced the end of its third party fact-checking program. In 2024 the Commission opened proceedings against TikTok for not having assessed risks linked to election integrity. The Commission also proceeded against X for breaching the DSA. This infoclip shows Meta's exhibition, a woman buying on Amazon, people scrolling on social media and TikTok premises (Source : Tiktok).

Infoclip: Digital Services Act (DSA), E-Commerce and Social Media - long version

Christel SCHALDEMOSE (S&D, DK) EP Vice-President and Chair of the Working Group on the implementation of the DSA, holds a press conference on enforcing the Digital Services Act. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press conference by Christel SCHALDEMOSE (S&D, DK), Chair of the Working Group on the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA), on enforcing the DSA

MEPs discuss the need to enforce the Digital Services Act (DSA) and tackle the spread of illegal content, online disinformation, and other societal risks to safeguard European democracy from foreign interference and algorithmic manipulation. Closing statement by Henna VIRKKUNEN, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy and by Adam SZŁAPKA, Polish Minister for European Affairs. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Need to enforce the Digital Services Act to protect democracy on social media platforms including against foreign interference and distorted algorithms: Closing statements by Henna VIRKKUNEN and Adam SZLAPKA

MEPs discuss the need to enforce the Digital Services Act (DSA) and tackle the spread of illegal content, online disinformation, and other societal risks to safeguard European democracy from foreign interference and algorithmic manipulation.

Need to enforce the Digital Services Act to protect democracy on social media platforms including against foreign interference and distorted algorithms: MEPs debate (part 3)

Need to enforce the Digital Services Act to protect democracy on social media platforms including against foreign interference and distorted algorithms: One round of political group speakers

Need to enforce the Digital Services Act to protect democracy on social media platforms including against foreign interference and distorted algorithms: MEPs debate (part 4)

Need to enforce the Digital Services Act to protect democracy on social media platforms including against foreign interference and distorted algorithms: MEPs debate (part 2)

MEPs discuss the need to enforce the Digital Services Act (DSA) and tackle the spread of illegal content, online disinformation, and other societal risks to safeguard European democracy from foreign interference and algorithmic manipulation. Opening statement by Adam SZLAPKA, Polish Minister for European Affairs and Henna VIRKKUNEN, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

The need to enforce the Digital Services Act to protect democracy on social media platforms: opening statements by Adam SZŁAPKA, Polish Minister for EU Affairs, and Henna VIRKKUNEN, Executive VP of the European Commission for Tech Sovereignty

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