Going Beyond DIY: Reporting Online Threats to EU's Trusted Flaggers
Online hostility, abusive behavior, and menacing messages: methods to convey complaints
If you stumble upon aggression, bullying, or unethical services online, it's your civic duty to take a stand. But who should you report them to?
When it comes to hateful content on social media, dodgy products on e-commerce sites, or online platforms with deceptive designs, suspecting illegal activities warrants action. However, you might wonder, where can I report these activities?
Enter the Trusted Flaggers, certified bodies that specialize in investigating and reporting such issues. By submitting a report via their online form, these bodies dive deep, pulling out the facts, and if necessary, they hand the info over to the relevant platform or service.
Trusted Flaggers: Priority Contributors in the Fight Against Cybercrime
The term "Trusted Flagger" is a beloved gem in the EU Digital Markets Act (DSA). This groundbreaking law aims to enhance online platforms' transparency and responsibility towards content and products.
Reporting content to the particular platform seems like the go-to option. But here's the kicker: A report from a bona fide Trusted Flagger gets priority treatment. According to the Federal Network Agency, which certifies Trusted Flaggers in Germany, the operator of the respective platform must promptly address and possibly delete content upon receiving a report from these esteemed watchdogs.
The Expanding Roster of Trusted Flaggers
Until recently, only one organization, RESPECT of the Baden-Württemberg Youth Foundation, which specializes in hate and harassment, enjoyed Trusted Flagger status. However, the Federal Network Agency has announced the approval of three additional organizations:
- Hate Aid: They focus on digital harassment, fraud, and deception, particularly on social media platforms.
- Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (vzbv): Concentrating on consumer rights, product safety, online trading, and fraud for online marketplaces and social media platforms.
- Bundesverband Onlinehandel (BVOH): With a focus on intellectual property rights protection and combating unfair competition on online marketplaces, primarily accepting reports from its members, who usually deal with plagiarism allegations or competition law violations.
When Platforms Refuse to Act, They Must Explain
Neither the Federal Network Agency nor Trusted Flaggers remove content. The ball is in the court of the platform or service, which decides whether to delete an offer or content. If a platform refuses to remove content, it must provide a sound explanation for its decision.
You, the reporter, or the affected party, always have the option to challenge the platform's decision through an out-of-court dispute resolution body, or via legal channels, as explicated by the Federal Network Agency. The final call on whether content is illegal and should be removed rests with the courts.
Further Reading
- "Law Against Digital Violence" Buschmann Takes a Stance Against Hate Accounts" (ntv.de/awidpa)
Sources
- ntv.de
- Federal Network Agency
- acm.eu
- digital-strategy.gov.uk
- hatecrimealliance.org
- Living in an EC country, it's essential to understand the role of Trusted Flaggers in reporting online threats, especially in cases involving hateful content on social media, suspect products on e-commerce sites, or deceptive online platforms.
- As a digital consumer, engaging with social media or online shopping, being aware of organizations like Hate Aid, Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband, and Bundesverband Onlinehandel can help ensure a safer lifestyle, promoting a more responsible entertainment environment.
