Having entered into force in November 2022, the European Digital Services Act recognizes the importance of protecting children online and sets obligations for online platforms and online search engines.
Thus, prompt removal of online illegal content depicting children, including sexual material shared non-consensually, is mandatory. Failure to comply with this obligation can lead to a fine of up to 6% global turnover.
Additionally, very large online platforms and very large online search engines (that actively reach 45 million users or more in the European Union, monthly) have the obligation to perform annual risk assessments, with the aim to identify dissemination of illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, and content with foreseeable negative effects for the exercise of fundamental human rights.
European Union Digital Services Act