EU act to allow access to tech firms’ data
The media and online-safety regulator has welcomed new EU rules that will give qualified researchers access to internal data from big technology platforms and search engines.
The European Commission has adopted a delegated act that clarifies how VLOPs (very large online platforms) and VLOSEs (very large online search engines) should share data with researchers, detailing the legal and technical requirements for data access.
Coimisiún na Meán (CnaM) described the commission’s adoption of the Delegated Act on Data Access as “a significant milestone” in the implementation of the provisions of article 40 in the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Article 40 provides researchers with lawful access to critical data held by VLOPs and VLOSEs, solely for the purpose of conducting research that enhances the detection, identification, and understanding of systemic risks within the EU.
The act adopted yesterday (2 July) also establishes a new online DSA portal for researchers to find information and communicate with VLOPs, VLOSEs, national authorities, and Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs) such as CnaM.
Insights
“Implementation of data-access provisions will enable researchers to produce insights that benefit society by identifying systemic risks in the online environment, informing solutions to challenges identified in risk assessments, and fostering the development of evidence-based risk mitigation measuresm” CnaM stated.
“Moreover, this research will support robust oversight of DSA compliance, contributing to a safer and more accountable digital ecosystem,” it added.
Researchers must be vetted by a DSC to access a platform’s internal data.
CnaM said that it looked forward to accepting applications once ther act enters into force later this year.
The European Parliament and EU Council now have three months to review the act, which will enter into force at the end of this period, after publication in the EU’s Official Journal.