January 2024

Navigating the 2024 Online Safety Landscape: A Comparative Analysis of the EU’s Digital Services Act and UK’s Online Safety Act

Online safety is becoming increasingly important, particularly due to risks and hazards on social media platforms. Governments are enacting legislation to mitigate these risks, such as the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) and the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA). The DSA focuses on establishing accountability and transparency, while the OSA emphasizes a "duty of care" and categorizes entities by reach and risk. Enforcement of the DSA involves Digital Services Coordinators and European Commission oversight, while the OSA is enforced by Ofcom. The DSA has a broader coverage of digital services and illegal content, while the OSA takes a more tailored approach to specific online harms. Both acts provide for fines and penalties for non-compliance and audits to ensure compliance. Companies must implement proactive and reactive strategies to ensure compliance with these regulations and reduce harm on their platforms. Holistic AI offers solutions for compliance obligations, including independent audits for VLOPs and VLOSEs under the DSA.