{"id":193241,"date":"2025-04-02T16:04:53","date_gmt":"2025-04-02T15:04:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/?p=193241"},"modified":"2025-04-03T00:11:38","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T23:11:38","slug":"uk-osa-eu-digital-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/data-privacy-it\/uk-osa-eu-digital-services\/","title":{"rendered":"The UK OSA and the EU Digital Services Act: What it Means for Businesses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you operate an online business, digital safety should be a top priority and responsibility to protect your users. Regulatory bodies have implemented frameworks and legal rules to ensure that businesses protect individuals online, introducing strict legal duties and penalties for non-compliance. The UK\u2019s Online Safety Act (OSA<\/strong>) and the EU\u2019s Digital Services Act (DSA<\/strong>) are two major legal frameworks which aim to improve online safety and transparency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These laws set out essential rules to help protect individuals and manage significant digital risks. UK businesses need to understand the differences between these sets of laws and their significance, particularly as the EU\u2019s DSA can also apply to certain UK-based businesses that target users in the EU. This article introduces the UK OSA and EU DSA, their purposes, and key issues for UK business owners to understand regarding these laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the UK Online Safety Act?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The UK Parliament introduced the OSA to make certain online platforms more accountable for the risks they create. The UK\u2019s OSA sets out strict duties for businesses<\/a> that offer user-to-user, search, or pornographic content services (as defined by the OSA). The law focuses on reducing illegal and harmful content online, especially where children and vulnerable users are involved. It sets out a range of duties around illegal content risk assessments and age assurance to help protect children. Codes of practice are published to help provide businesses with guidance on compliance.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may fall within scope if a business allows users to interact (such as through a messaging app, content-sharing feature or search function). This includes non-UK businesses with \u2018links to the UK\u2019, for example, many UK users.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ofcom enforces the law and can issue fines of up to \u00a318 million or 10 per cent of global annual turnover, whichever is higher. Senior managers may face criminal liability in specific cases. The law imposes a range of rules, for example, to assess and reduce the risk of illegal content.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What is the EU Digital Services Act?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The EU\u2019s DSA<\/a> applies to online intermediaries and platforms providing services in the EU. It covers platforms, hosting providers, marketplaces and search engines \u2013 even if the provider is not based in the EU. The European Union<\/a> introduced the DSA to promote safer digital spaces and improve accountability across the online economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A business must follow the DSA if it provides services to EU users or has built a substantial connection to the EU. Businesses located outside the EU can still be caught by the DSA rules. <\/p>\n\n\n

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This factsheet sets out how your business can become GDPR compliant.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n\nDownload Now<\/a> <\/section>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

The DSA brings a range of important responsibilities. Providers within scope must meet baseline duties, such as being transparent about content moderation and offering tools for users to report illegal content. Platforms and hosting services must take additional steps, such as explaining how content is recommended and handling user complaints. Very large platforms (VLOPs and VLOSEs) must also conduct risk assessments, carry out audits and work with EU regulators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The European Commission and national authorities enforce the DSA<\/a>, and their powers include imposing fines of up to 6 per cent of global turnover for breaches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Continue reading this article below the form\n <\/i>\n<\/a>\n

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