In their operations, online platforms must take account of the obligations in accordance with the Digital Services Act (DSA) that enter into force on 17 February 2024. Traficom is the main supervisor of the regulations. For multinational platform giants, the regulations entered into force in the summer of 2023.
According to the regulations, online platforms are a part of intermediary services. Certain obligations apply to all intermediary services, but in addition to these, online platforms have their own special obligations. These obligations do not apply to micro and small operators, however.
Common obligations of online platforms and hosting services
Obligations that only apply to online platforms
Obligations of online marketplaces
Online platforms also include online marketplaces where consumers and traders do business and conclude other distance contracts. Private individuals also do business with each other on the platforms, but the regulations do not apply to these cases. Online marketplaces include sites for selling items as well as travel and hotel reservation sites, among other things. In addition to the obligations on hosting services and online platforms, online platforms have their own additional obligations.
Obligations and monitoring of multinational platform giants
Online platforms also include multinational platform giants, i.e. very large online platforms and search engines. They constitute services with more than 45 million users per month within the EU. Such platforms include Facebook, Instagram, the Google search engine, TikTok and the Amazon online store. The EU Commission names the operators and services that meet the definition of a very large online platform. In addition to the obligations that apply to all online platforms, a set of additional obligations have been imposed on multinational platform giants.
The operation of the platform giants is monitored by the Commission together with the authorities of the country in which the main establishment of the platform giant in question is located. None of the platform giants have a main establishment in Finland.
Further information
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