Prawo Nowych Technologii

nr 1/2021

Status prawny platform internetowych na podstawie projektu Aktu o usługach cyfrowych (AUC)

Xawery Konarski
adwokat, starszy partner Traple Konarski Podrecki i Wspólnicy, ekspert prawny Polskiej Izby Informatyki i Telekomunikacji (PIIT).
Abstrakt

W niniejszym artykule zostaną przedstawione zagadnienia dotyczące statusu prawnego platform internetowych na podstawie projektu Aktu o usługach cyfrowych (AUC)1, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem ich odpowiedzialności za rozpowszechniane w ich ramach nielegalne treści.



Abstract

Legal status of online platforms under the draft Digital Services Act (DSA) In the current legal framework, online platforms have traditionally defined themselves as neutral data providers (host providers). Over the years, however, the role of online platforms has changed significantly, they have become entities that manage availability and presentation of content on the Internet. New risks are associated with the growing importance and new operating models of online platforms. These include their role in facilitating the distribution of illegal content, or the perpetration of various e-commerce scams. The need for their specific regulation, including imposition of additional – in as compared with Directive 2000/31 – obligations, has been advocated for years. The European Commission finally decided to include the issue of operation of online platforms in two legal acts, i.e. Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The aim of this former regulation is to create a safer digital environment by regulating how intermediary service providers interact with users and their obligations in relation to the distribution of illegal content. The applicability of the different types of obligations set out in the draft DSA depends on the size and importance of the online platform concerned in the digital services environment (proportionality principle). One of the most important areas regulated by the draft DSA is prventing distribution of illegal content by intermediary service providers. It consists of two groups of provisions. First, the provisions setting out the conditions for excluding liability of intermediary service providers (Chapter II). They largely replicate the rules in force under Directive 2000/31 (Art. 3 to 5 of the draft DSA). Second, and new to Directive 2000/31, the draft DSA introduces separate provisions on the obligations of intermediate service providers to provide „due diligence for a transparent and secure online environment” (Chapters III and IV). They reflect the underlying concept that online platforms are a special category of online intermediaries and should therefore act more „responsibly”, which in turn translates into additional due diligence and transparency obligations and, for very large platforms, also systemic risk management obligations. Słowa kluczowe: akt o usługach cyfrowych, platformy internetowe, handel elektroniczny, odpowiedzialność pośredników internetowych, zwalczanie bezprawnych treści Key words: Digital Services Act, online platforms, e-commerce, responsibility of intermediary service providers, fighting illegal content