Platform governance under the Digital Services Act: a perspective on disinformation

Abstract

Online platforms have become essential infrastructures for communication and commerce, playing a central role in content governance and shaping public discourse. While their accessibility fosters communication, it also facilitates the spread of harmful information, including disinformation. To address these risks and enhance transparency and accountability, the European Union (EU) introduced the Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates specific content moderation obligations for platforms operating within its jurisdiction. This study examines how 27 online platforms govern disinformation, employing a mixed-methods analysis of their Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. The analysis shows that ‘misleading’ content is the most frequently regulated category, with very large online platforms (VLOPs) and social media platforms exhibiting the highest levels of regulation. Although a range of sanctions exists, platforms primarily rely on content and account removal, with limited mechanisms for user participation. The study identifies four main clusters of disinformation addressed by platforms: misleading content, imposter content, pseudoscience and conspiracy theories, and manipulation. These categories illustrate specific regulatory challenges, such as health-related disinformation and identity misrepresentation. The paper situates these findings within the context of regulatory frameworks like the Digital Services Act (DSA), emphasizing the need for further research on enforcement practices and the impact of content governance.