The DSA HR Alliance
The European Union’s regulations and policy-making decisions on technology and the internet have unique influence across the globe. But with great influence comes great responsibility. A step in the wrong direction could reverberate around the world, affecting fundamental rights beyond European Union borders. The Digital Services Act (DSA) Human Rights (HR) Alliance is a group of digital and human rights advocacy organizations representing diverse communities across the globe. The DSA HR Alliance Alliance came together around the central tenet that the Digital Services Act must adopt a human rights based approach to platform governance and that EU policy makers should consider the global impacts of legislation. Many members of the alliance know firsthand why this is necessary. Especially grassroots organizations operating in the Global Majority and civil rights groups fighting for the protections of historically oppressed and vulnerable groups find themselves on the receiving end of badly designed legislation. The impacts of internet rules are rarely contained by borders and that is particularly true when that legislation comes from influential bodies like the European Union.
The DSA HR Alliance believes that by focusing on the protection of fundamental rights globally, the DSA is an opportunity for the EU to provide a positive global example in lawmaking. While some elements of the DSA can strengthen fundamental rights and empower civil society and researchers to advocate for proportionate platform accountability models, certain provisions are clouded in ambiguity and carry the potential for abuse or politicized enforcement.
DSA Human Rights Alliance Actions
The DSA HR Alliance has met with EU policy makers since the early stages of the DSA legislative process, publishing recommendations and statements promoting a globally informed, human rights-centred approach. While many of the Alliance's suggestions were taken into account by EU policy makers in the final DSA version, concerns remain. Several provisions remain open to interpretation and their practical consequences are yet to be understood.
The DSA grants substantial powers to authorities and other actors to flag and remove allegedly illegal content, and there are risks of abuse where concepts are vague or fundamental rights safeguards are weak. It also remains unclear how very large platforms will mitigate systemic risks in practice, and how civil society, researchers, and affected communities will meaningfully contribute to due diligence and enforcement processes.
As the DSA enters its enforcement phase and inspires regulatory approaches beyond the EU, rights-centred implementation, transparency, and sustained engagement with international civil society are essential to prevent harm and ensure the Act serves the public interest.
To this end, the DSA HR Alliance has published the Principles for a Human Rights-Centred Application of the Digital Services Act: A Global Perspective. These principles are grounded in the belief that recognizing these dynamics is essential for fostering a positive enforcement of the DSA—one that mitigates societal risks and places public interest above all.
They are intended to guide a range of actors, in particular the European Commission as the main DSA enforcer, as well as national policymakers and regulators who also implement and enforce parts of the DSA. They seek to offer insights for regulators in other regions who look to the DSA as a reference framework and for international bodies and global actors concerned with digital governance and the wider implications of the DSA. The DSA Human Rights Principles further promote meaningful stakeholder engagement, ensuring that CSOs can provide expertise and exercise their role as human rights watchdogs.
