EU Should Improve Transparency in the Digital Services Act

This report examines how the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) is reshaping transparency in online content moderation and what it means for free expression across the globe. While the DSA aims to create safer online environments through clear reporting and accountability, the analysis finds that vague reporting categories and gaps in data make it difficult to evaluate its true impact. The authors highlight concerns about potential extraterritorial effects—where EU standards could influence what speech is allowed outside Europe—as platforms streamline moderation practices across regions. The report ultimately calls for clearer reporting rules to ensure meaningful insight into platform decisions and preserve openness and trust in global digital ecosystems.