The significance of the Digital Services Act for data protection officers in Germany

The European Digital Services Act (DSA) is a milestone for digital regulation in Europe. It strengthens the rights of users and sets out clear responsibilities for digital service providers. For data protection officers in Germany, the DSA means additional tasks and opportunities to ensure the protection of personal data.

The DSA obliges platforms to efficiently remove illegal content and ensure transparency. Data protection officers must ensure that these measures are in line with the GDPR in order to avoid unlawful data processing. The DSA also brings new requirements for risk assessments and compliance procedures, especially for large online platforms.

Extended accountability obligations and increased monitoring by national authorities will require data protection officers to work more closely with the relevant supervisory bodies. The DSA offers the opportunity to reconcile data protection and digital security and thus strengthen trust in digital services.