In short. DSA Article 14 requires intermediary-service terms to explain content restrictions and moderation procedures in clear, accessible, machine-readable language.
Definition: Article 14 of the Digital Services Act (DSA) requires intermediary services to explain restrictions on user-provided information in their terms and conditions, including moderation policies, tools and review procedures. Content moderation covers action on illegal content or content incompatible with those terms, including reduced visibility and account suspension.
Key facts
- Article 14(1) of the DSA on EUR-Lex requires information about algorithmic decision-making, human review and internal complaint-handling procedures.
- The European Commission's DSA questions and answers identifies readable, multilingual terms as an additional obligation for very large online platforms and search engines.
- As of October 2026, the Commission's Digital Services Terms and Conditions Database provides access to recent changes and past versions of platform terms.
Which website services and restrictions are covered?
Article 14 addresses providers of intermediary services. Under Articles 2 and 3 of the DSA, these include transmission, caching and hosting services offered to users established or located in the EU. Hosting means storing information provided by, and at the request of, a user. Applicability therefore depends on the service a website supplies.
Article 3(u) defines terms and conditions as all clauses governing the contractual relationship with users, regardless of their name or form. Article 14(1) requires information about restrictions concerning user-provided information, including moderation policies, procedures, measures and tools. Algorithmic decision-making and human review must be covered, along with the procedural rules of the internal complaint-handling system.
The moderation definition in Article 3(t) includes demotion, demonetisation, disabling access, removal and suspension or termination of accounts. The disclosure therefore reaches restrictions affecting visibility and the ability to submit information.
How must the terms be explained and updated?
Article 14(1) of the DSA requires clear, plain, intelligible, user-friendly and unambiguous language. The information must be publicly available in an easily accessible, machine-readable format.
Under Article 14(2), providers must inform users of significant changes. Recital 45 gives changes to the rules on permitted information as an example. Where a service primarily targets minors or minors predominantly use it, Article 14(3) requires explanations of conditions and restrictions that minors can understand.
For very large online platforms and very large online search engines, Article 14(5) additionally requires a concise, accessible, machine-readable summary covering available remedies and redress mechanisms. Article 14(6) requires terms in the official languages of every Member State where those services are offered.
What duties apply when restrictions are enforced?
Article 14(4) of the DSA requires diligent, objective and proportionate enforcement. Providers must give due regard to all parties' rights and legitimate interests, including users' freedom of expression and media freedom and pluralism.
Article 17 separately requires hosting services to explain specified individual restrictions imposed because information is illegal or incompatible with their terms. When a decision relies on a contractual rule, Article 17(3)(e) requires the contractual ground and an explanation of the incompatibility. Article 17(2) limits this duty to cases where the provider knows the user's electronic contact details and excludes deceptive high-volume commercial content.
Where can published terms and changes be checked?
The Commission's Digital Services Terms and Conditions Database links to a repository where readers can consult recent platform changes and retrieve past versions.
Related terms
- When can a website with user content be a hosting service under the DSA?
- What explanation must a host give when removing a user's content?
- When must an online platform provide internal content complaints?
FAQ
Must my terms explain automated moderation?
Yes. Article 14(1) of the DSA expressly includes algorithmic decision-making and human review among the moderation information required in intermediary-service terms.
Must every website provide terms in every EU language?
Article 14(6) places the multilingual publication duty on very large online platforms and very large online search engines. It covers the official languages of the Member States where they offer their services.
Does publishing a moderation policy satisfy every explanation duty?
A hosting provider also has the separate Article 17 duty to give affected users clear and specific reasons for covered individual restrictions, subject to that article's conditions and exceptions.
Sources
- European Parliament and Council, "Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act)", 19 October 2022
- European Commission, "Digital Services Act: Questions and Answers", 19 December 2025
- European Commission, "Online Platforms Terms and Conditions Database Web Page", undated
Check how a page reads to answer engines. Open the GEO score analyzer