Online platforms
An ‘online platform’ or ‘intermediary service’ is a hosting service that stores and disseminates information to people who engage with such service.
Any additional features included on the platform from another service that is required for the functionality of the platform is also encompassed in the supervision of such platform.
Online platforms that have equal or more than 45 million average monthly active users accessing the platform within the European Union are designated as either a ‘very large online platform’ (‘VLOP’) or a ‘very large online search engine’ (‘VLOSE’). A list of designated very large online platforms and search engines within the European Union can be found on the European Commission’s dedicated web page.
Online platforms that have less than 45 million average monthly active users accessing the platform within the European Union are known as ‘other intermediary services’.
Supervision of online platforms
Our supervisory work includes monitoring compliance with regulatory obligations, resolving issues on a voluntary basis when appropriate, and taking formal compliance action when warranted. As part of these strategic objectives, we are responsible for ensuring compliance with Ireland’s Online Safety Framework. This framework makes digital services accountable for how they protect people from harm online.
Three different pieces of legislation form the Online Safety Framework:
- The Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, the basis for our Online Safety Code
- The Digital Services Act (DSA)
- The Terrorist Content Online Regulation
Under the Digital Services Act, Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland’s designated Digital Services Co-ordinator (DSC) and is the competent authority that supervises all online platforms established in Ireland. The responsibility to supervise VLOPs and VLOSEs established in Ireland is shared between the European Commission and Coimisiún na Meán.