Going Online Got You Feeling Scammed orseen Unfairly? Here's Who You Can Turn To! 🚨
Online aggression, abuse, and menaces: guidance on reporting unwanted online behavior
Navigating the digital world can be a bumpy ride, with shady social media posts, potentially dangerous products on online marketplaces, and blatant violations of consumer rights lurking around every corner. But fear not! If you stumble upon anything that looks fishy or potentially illegal online, there's a solution: Report it! But who exactly should you report it to?
Enter the Trusted Flaggers, the digital heroes we never knew we needed! These certified bodies are just a click away to help you out. Submit a report via their user-friendly online forms, and they'll jump into action to investigate the matter. Depending on the findings, they may forward the report to the relevant platform or service.
Trusted Flaggers: Prioritized and Powerful ✅
Trusted Flaggers, as they're known, have a special status under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). So, why not go straight to the platform with your report? Simple: Because if a report of suspected illegal content comes from a recognized Trusted Flagger, the platform operator must treat it as top priority and take immediate action, such as removing content. Sounds like a game changer, right? That's what the Federal Network Agency, which certifies Trusted Flaggers in Germany, thinks!
Expanding the Trusted Flagger Squad 💪
Until recently, the key Trusted Flagger was the Respect reporting body of the Baden-Württemberg Youth Foundation, which focuses on hate speech and incitement. But the team has grown! The Federal Network Agency has now certified three additional Trusted Flaggers:
- Hateaid: With a focus on digital violence, fraud, and deception - especially on social media platforms.
- vzbv (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband): Dedicated to online marketplaces and social media platforms regarding consumer rights, product safety, online trading, and fraud.
- Bundesverband Onlinehandel (BVOH): Specializing in intellectual property protection and unfair competition - primarily on online marketplaces, with a focus on plagiarism allegations and suspected competition violations.
The Power isn't in Their Hands, but Yours 🤝
Remember, neither the Trusted Flaggers nor the platforms themselves remove content or order its removal. Instead, they investigate and gather evidence, handing off the decision to the platform. If a platform elects to leave the content up, they must provide an explanation. But don't worry! If you feel that justice hasn't been served, you have options: You can file a complaint directly with the platform, seek help from an out-of-court dispute resolution body, or take your case to court. Ultimately, the decision lies with the courts, who will determine whether the content should be removed or not.
Sources:
[1] Bundesnetzagentur – Zertifizierte Plattform-Koordinierer und Plattform-Unternehmen
[2] Bundesnetzagentur – Zertifizierte Plattform-Unterstützer
Note: This content was generated by an AI and may not be entirely accurate or comprehensive. For specific concerns or questions, we recommend consulting the official sources.
In the digital world, when encountering questionable content like scams, hate speech, or consumer rights violations, turning to recognized Trusted Flaggers like Respect, Hateaid, vzbv, and Bundesverband Onlinehandel can expedite the reporting process as they prioritize such reports under the EU's Digital Services Act. These certified bodies, such as Hateaid focusing on digital violence and deception, vzbv dedicated to consumer rights and fraud on online marketplaces, and Bundesverband Onlinehandel specializing in intellectual property protection, operate independently and do not make decisions to remove content, but rather gather evidence and present findings to the relevant platforms.
