Czech lawmakers approve new rules for social media and online safety

Czech lawmakers have approved legislation aimed at making social media, online marketplaces, and other digital services safer, bringing the country closer to fully implementing European Union rules designed to protect internet users.

The Chamber of Deputies passed the new Digital Economy Act on Wednesday, Nov. 4, with 142 lawmakers voting in favor and just one against. The bill will now move to the Senate for consideration.

The legislation establishes Czech enforcement arrangements for the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which already applies across the bloc. It covers services ranging from social media platforms and online marketplaces to web hosting providers, search engines, and cloud services.

According to Czech Radio, the vote comes as Czechia faces proceedings before the EU's Court of Justice over delays in establishing the national framework required to enforce the European regulation.

The legislation would strengthen Czech authorities' ability to oversee digital platforms and enforce rules intended to make online services more transparent and accountable.

Under the EU's Digital Services Act, platforms must provide users with clearer information about content moderation, explain important aspects of their recommendation systems, and offer ways to report illegal content.

Online marketplaces also face requirements intended to improve consumer protection, including measures addressing illegal products and greater transparency about sellers.

One of the most significant areas is children's online safety. Platforms must take appropriate measures to protect minors, including restrictions on targeted advertising based on profiling when they know with reasonable certainty that a user is underage.

The rules also aim to reduce children's exposure to harmful online material and require platforms to explain their systems more transparently.

These protections are already part of the EU framework. The Czech bill would establish the domestic authorities and procedures needed to oversee compliance.

Under the proposed law, the Czech Telecommunications Office (ČTÚ) and the Office for Personal Data Protection would serve as supervisory authorities.

Their responsibilities would include investigating potential violations and overseeing compliance with applicable digital-service requirements.

Inspectors would also receive certain investigative powers, including the ability to enter residential premises with court authorization under conditions specified by law.

The legislation includes provisions addressing illegal products offered through online marketplaces. The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority would be able to require platforms to remove or restrict access to listings involving certain dangerous products or substances when those offers violate the law.

Lawmakers also added provisions addressing the removal of lawful online content. During election campaigns, the ČTÚ would be required to prioritize certain complaints from candidates whose posts had been removed.

The bill additionally establishes a framework for a planned Entrepreneur Portal, intended to bring information and electronic communication with public authorities together in one digital location.

Although the bill received broad parliamentary support, some politicians have raised concerns about its implications for freedom of expression.

Critics, particularly from the SPD movement, have argued that digital-content regulation could lead to excessive moderation or the suppression of legitimate opinions.

Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlíček of ANO defended the legislation, saying the government had made compromises and that the proposal did not introduce additional obligations beyond those already established by European rules.

Lawmakers also added a provision requiring supervisory authorities to consider freedom of expression and the right to information when making decisions.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade describes the DSA as a framework intended to create a safer online environment while protecting users' fundamental rights.

For residents of Czechia, the legislation does not mean that social media platforms will immediately operate under an entirely new set of rules. Instead, it represents an important step toward establishing national oversight of EU protections already in force.

The bill must still complete the legislative process before becoming Czech law. If approved, it would give national authorities a clearer role in enforcing the rules governing the digital services used by millions of people every day.