The reality of independent research into online platforms, per Article 40 of the Digital Services Act continues to be challenging.
This is a rapidly evolving field, with technological advancements consistently outpacing regulation, making it essential that frameworks adapt swiftly and proactively.
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As the role of online platforms grows in importance, the successful implementation of the DSA is even more urgent now than at the time when it was developed. If the implementation of Article 40 is obstructed, researchers’ ability to scrutinize digital media would be severely limited, thereby undermining public trust and transparency.
Research Opportunities and Challenges of the EU’s Digital Services Act, by Francesco Pierri, Theo Araujo, Sanne Kruikemeier, Philipp Lorenz-Spreen, Mariek M.P. Vanden Abeele, Laura Vandenbosch, Joana Gonçalves-Sa, and Przemyslaw Grabowicz.
This is not just a matter a of regulation. It is extremely difficult to close the gap between public deployment and actual understanding of its consequences, if the most well-funded stakeholders actively resist the efforts to research.