Surfing Safely Online: Dealing with Hate, Harassment, and Other Threats: How to Report Them
Online aggression, abusive behavior, and threats in digital platforms: guidance on submitting complaints
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If you encounter hate, online bullying, dangerous products, or unethical practices on the web, take action. It's all about getting the vital info to the right people.
Whether it's hate speech on social networks, misleading products on e-commerce sites, or violations of consumer rights such as deceptive practices on online platforms, anyone who spots potential illegal activities online should report them. But where?
Certified organizations, often known as Trusted Flaggers, provide a solution. After filing a report through their online form, the respective organization checks the facts and may forward them to the appropriate platform or service.
Trusted Flaggers Lead the Way
Trusted Flaggers, or trustworthy informants, are entities established under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DSA). You might know it by its English name. This legislation aims to make online platforms more transparent and responsible in dealing with content and products.
But why not directly report content to the respective platform? There's a solid reason: if a report of suspected illegal content comes from a recognized Trusted Flagger, the platform operator must treat it as a priority and immediately take action, such as removing content, according to the Federal Network Agency, which certifies Trusted Flaggers in Germany.
More Trusted Flaggers on Board
So far, only the Respect reporting body of the Baden-Württemberg Youth Foundation, which specializes in hate speech and harassment, has been certified. Recently, the Federal Network Agency has approved three additional trustworthy informants:
- HateAid, focusing on digital violence, scams, and deception, especially on social media platforms.
- Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (vzbv), with a focus on online marketplaces and social media platforms regarding consumer rights, product safety, e-commerce, and fraud.
- Bundesverband Onlinehandel (BVOH), concentrating on intellectual property protection and unfair competition, particularly on online marketplaces. The association primarily accepts reports from its members, which often involve allegations of plagiarism or suspected competition violations.
When Platforms Refuse to Act, They Must Explain
Neither the Federal Network Agency nor the Trusted Flaggers remove content or demand its removal. The responsibility lies with the platform or service to decide whether to delete an offer or content. If platforms decide not to remove content, they must provide a justification.
More Insights "The Battle Against Online Hate Speech" Marco Buschmann takes a stand against online hate with account blocking **The decision or action taken by a platform can always be reviewed by the person making the report or affected party through the platform itself, an out-of-court dispute resolution body, or the courts, according to the Federal Network Agency.
The final judgment of whether content is illegal and should be removed, or was rightly left unremoved, rests with the courts.
Sources: ntv.de, awi/dpa
- Marco Buschmann
- Federal Ministry of Justice
- Traffic Light Coalition
- Social Networks
- Hate Speech
- Network Enforcement Act
- Bullying
- IT Security
- Legal Issues
- Social Media
In the European Context, Trusted Flaggers play an essential role in cybersecurity by reporting potential illegal activities online to certified organizations. These entities, established under the EU's Digital Markets Act, specialize in various areas such as hate speech, digital violence, consumer rights, product safety, e-commerce, intellectual property protection, and unfair competition. Platforms are obligated to prioritize and act upon reports from these trustworthy informants, ensuring a safer online environment for all users.
