Where to complain about violated rights on the internet
Internet users have the ability to report cases of misinformation, illegal, harmful content, goods or services. The protection of their rights is a priority of the bill brought by the Ministry of Digital Government "Digital Services Act" or "Digital Services Act" (DSA), which was voted in April 2024.
Thus, citizens will be able to submit their complaints in an easy way through an electronic form that has already been opened and is working at the National Telecommunications & Posts Commission (EETT).
As the Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, emphasized to APE-MPE, "digital services, as an integral part of our daily life in various sectors, from online shopping to searching for information, greatly facilitate us, while at the same time "hiding" serious risks. Europe with the Digital Services and Digital Markets Act creates safeguards both to protect the fundamental rights of users and to create a level playing field for businesses. In the event that a user detects illegal content, he can now immediately report it to the provider, through an easy-to-use "notification and action mechanism" that he must have. In Greece, citizens can, for a series of cases involving intermediate providers, such as when a service is presented in a misleading way or even if the obligations regarding the protection of minors are violated, submit a complaint through EETT in an easy and friendly way".
As the minister underlines "as the Ministry of Digital Governance, our goal is to ensure that our country participates and shapes the framework that will govern the internet and new technologies in the coming years, promoting in practice the cooperation between (co)competent bodies at the national level ».
Specifically, citizens should enter the website of EETT, which assumed the role of "Coordinator of Digital Services" at www.eett.gr, where a special section for digital services has been created.
What the Digital Services Act regulates
The Act regulates intermediate digital services, i.e. services such as online platforms for selling products or services (marketplaces), application stores (app stores), social media, online search engines, Internet access services. Essentially, these are services that connect Internet users with goods, services and content.
The Act lays down rules for intermediate digital services provided to users residing in the EU, regardless of whether the provider's country of establishment/head office is inside or outside the EU. It is noted that it does not impose a general obligation on providers to control content traffic intermediate digital services. Also, depending on the size of the providers and the type of services they provide, different obligations are foreseen.
What citizens should know before making a complaint
Internet users can address both EETT and digital service providers.
In the first case:
Through the Complaints System, users can submit complaints to EETT against an intermediary service provider that they believe is in breach of the Digital Services Act because, for example:
* does not provide the ability to report illegal content through an easy-to-use "notice and action mechanism"
* impose restrictions on a user's account or content they have posted, without sufficient justification;
* does not have an appropriate complaint management system,
* does not have a point of contact with the users of the service, or places restrictions on this communication,
* makes it difficult to locate or find the terms of use of the service,
* does not provide sufficient information on the possibility of out-of-court dispute resolution or cooperation during the resolution process,
* presents his service in a misleading manner,
* violates its obligations regarding the way of formulating personalized recommendations for content and purchase of products,
* violates its obligations regarding the manner in which advertisements are displayed and targeted;
* limits the ability to locate information about companies/suppliers or products/services sold through the digital service.
Users submit their complaint by providing the necessary information documenting their violation of the Digital Services Act. Then, they are informed of its receipt (provided they have submitted a relevant e-mail).
EETT evaluates the complaint. If it is judged that the matter concerns a violation of the Digital Services Act, it considers whether the complaint should be handled by itself or should be forwarded to another body, such as for example the National Broadcasting Council (NBC), the Personal Data Protection Authority (APDPH), to the Digital Services Coordinator of the state of establishment of the provider.
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