EU Seeks Feedback on Draft DSA Election Guidelines

In beginning of February the European Commission initiated a public consultation to gather opinions on the newly proposed Digital Services Act (DSA) guidelines, which focus on safeguarding the integrity of electoral processes across the digital landscape. These guidelines represent the inaugural effort under Article 35 of the DSA, aiming to equip Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines with a set of best practices and potential measures to counter systemic risks that could undermine democratic electoral integrity. The draft guidelines offer a variety of mitigation strategies for election-related risks, including those associated with Generative AI content, and provide detailed planning for risk mitigation measures both before and after electoral events, with specific attention to the upcoming European Parliament elections. The development of these draft guidelines was informed by an election integrity readiness dialogue conducted by the Commission with several of the first 19 platforms designated under the DSA since the end of August 2023. They also reflect considerations from other relevant legislative and non-legislative initiatives, such as the Regulation on transparency of political advertising, the AI Act, the strengthened Code of Practice on Disinformation, and the Commission’s recommendations for promoting free, fair, and resilient elections. The public consultation for these DSA Election Guidelines is open for feedback until March 7, 2024. This initiative represents a critical step in leveraging the DSA to ensure the integrity of electoral processes in the digital age, reinforcing the European Union’s commitment to maintaining a democratic society in the face of evolving online threats.