Bundesnetzagentur, as Digital Services Coordinator, certifies more trusted flaggers
Year of issue 2025
Date of issue 2025.06.02
The Digital Services Coordinator (DSC), which is based at the Bundesnetzagentur, has today certified three more institutions as “trusted flaggers” in accordance with the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Certification for three organisations
The DSC at the Bundesnetzagentur is responsible for enforcing the DSA in Germany. The certification of trusted flaggers is part of its role. It reviews applications from organisations seeking certification as trusted flaggers. The following organisations submitted applications and fulfil the criteria to qualify:
- Bundesverband Onlinehandel e.V. (BVOH) is a national association focusing on commercial legal protection and unfair competition, especially on online marketplaces;
- HateAid gGmbH is an organisation focusing on digital violence, fraud and deception, especially on social media platforms;
- Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. (vzbv) is a national association focusing on issues of consumer rights, product safety, e-commerce and fraud on online marketplaces and social media platforms.
These organisations were certified because they have demonstrated in accordance with Article 22(2) DSA that they have particular expertise and competence for the purposes of detecting, identifying and notifying illegal content. They are also independent of online platforms and guarantee that they will submit notices to such platforms diligently, accurately and objectively.
Notices of presumed illegal content submitted by recognised trusted flaggers must be given priority by providers of online platforms and processed without undue delay.
The certified trusted flaggers are required to publish an annual report detailing their activities that includes information on the content notified, the platforms affected and the measures the platforms carried out. The report also explains the procedures in place to ensure that the trusted flagger retains its independence. The status of trusted flagger may be revoked if it no longer fulfils the requirements for certification.
Neither trusted flaggers nor DSC delete content
The DSC at the Bundesnetzagentur does not assess whether content is illegal. Neither it nor the trusted flaggers remove content or order its removal.
The providers of online platforms and services decide what to do with content that is notified to them on the basis of the applicable national law. They must take their decisions in respect of the information to which the notices relate in a timely, diligent, non-arbitrary and objective manner. If the online platform providers come to the conclusion that the content is illegal, they must take suitable measures, which could be, for example, deleting the post or the product offer, or restricting its visibility.
The measure taken by the online platform may in any case be examined following a user complaint to the platform itself, by an out-of-court dispute settlement body or by the courts. The final decision on whether content on an online platform is illegal and has to be removed, or was correctly or incorrectly removed, is up to the courts.
A list of certified trusted flaggers may be found at www.dsc.bund.de/1012056.
Tasks of the DSC
The DSC, based at the Bundesnetzagentur, is the central coordinating body for enforcement of the DSA in Germany. The DSC monitors online platforms and service providers for compliance with their obligations. It acts as a central point for complaints by online users when the DSA has been violated and coordinates cooperation between competent authorities in Germany and the EU.
The DSC certifies out-of-court dispute settlement bodies and trusted flaggers. It also handles applications by researchers to gain access to the data of very large online platforms and search engines.
In its enforcement of the DSA, the DSC works together with the Federal Agency for Child and Youth Protection in the Media (BzKJ), the Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia coordinating for the media authorities of the federal states, the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI), the European Commission and the DSCs of other Member States.
Further information about the DSC is available (in German) at www.dsc.bund.de.