--- title: "Digital Europe in Two Acts: DSA and DMA" description: "Europe’s DSA and DMA work in tandem. One governs digital content, the other digital competition. Together they form the EU’s Digital Services Package." url: "https://hoeijmakers.net/dsa-dma-compared/" date: 2025-07-27 updated: 2025-12-07 author: "Rob Hoeijmakers" site: "hoeijmakers.net" language: "en" tags: ["Europe"] --- # Digital Europe in Two Acts: DSA and DMA Europe's two flagship regulations, the [**Digital Services Act (DSA**](https://hoeijmakers.net/europes-dsa-and-the-new-contours-of-online-freedom/)**)** and the [**Digital Markets Act (DMA)**](https://hoeijmakers.net/eu-digital-markets-act/), are often mentioned in the same breath. That’s no coincidence. Though they serve different purposes, they were proposed together and form what the European Commission calls the **Digital Services Package**: a coordinated regulatory effort to make the internet both *safer* and *fairer*. Yet even close observers may struggle to see how they interact. They target the same tech giants, use similar tools, and entered into force within months of each other. But one focuses on *services*, the other on *markets*. Understanding this distinction — and their complementarity — is key to seeing the deeper structure of Europe's digital rulebook. ## Twin Pillars of the Digital Services Package The DSA and DMA function as **twin pillars** of EU digital regulation: - **DSA = Digital Services Act** → regulates *how digital services interact with users* - **DMA = Digital Markets Act** → regulates *how digital platforms compete and behave in the market* In this sense, they address **two different domains**:**speech and safety** (DSA) vs. **competition and structure** (DMA). Together, they redefine the conditions under which digital platforms can operate in Europe. ## What the DSA Does: Governing the Digital Public Square The **DSA** applies broadly to digital intermediaries — from hosting providers to online marketplaces and very large platforms. It focuses on: - the **moderation of illegal content** - **ad transparency** - **algorithmic accountability** - **risk management** for systemic harms The goal is to uphold fundamental rights, reduce harm, and make platforms more transparent and responsible. **In short**: it regulates the *informational role* of platforms in society. ## What the DMA Does: Rebalancing Digital Market Power The **DMA** targets a small group of **gatekeepers** — platforms with entrenched power that serve as critical intermediaries between businesses and users. It imposes obligations such as: - **no self-preferencing** - **no bundling or forced sign-ins** - **mandatory interoperability** - **data separation between services** Its aim is to ensure **contestability** in digital markets, preventing dominant platforms from abusing their position. **In short**: it regulates the *structural power* of platforms in the economy. ## Where They Overlap While their scopes differ, the DSA and DMA **overlap in four key areas**: 1. **Targeting the same tech giants**Most platforms designated as **gatekeepers** under the DMA are also **very large online platforms (VLOPs)** under the DSA. These include Alphabet (Google), Meta, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance (TikTok), and Microsoft. 2. **Transparency and disclosure obligations**Both Acts require platforms to be more open about their internal mechanisms — whether it's **content recommendation (DSA)** or **ranking practices (DMA)**. 3. **User empowerment**The DSA gives users more control over how their data is used and how content is presented. The DMA gives users and business users more freedom to **choose services**, **port data**, and **uninstall apps**. 4. **Enforcement and oversight**The **European Commission** oversees gatekeeper compliance under the DMA, while **Digital Services Coordinators** (with Commission support) enforce the DSA. There’s growing coordination between the two. ## A Complementary Logic The **Digital Services Package** doesn’t treat digital platforms as a monolith. Instead, it recognises two dimensions of their power: - As **public spaces**, where people exchange information, form opinions, and exercise rights - As **market gatekeepers**, controlling access, infrastructure, and innovation Regulating both dimensions requires **different tools** — but a **shared philosophy**: that the digital space must be **open, accountable, and subject to the rule of law**. ## Why It Matters The overlap between content, data, and competition is not just a legal tangle — it’s a structural reality. For example: - A platform might **demote a competitor’s product** (DMA issue) under the guise of **content moderation** (DSA issue). - A business may face **platform exclusion** that affects both **speech rights** and **economic opportunity**. Without addressing both fronts, regulation would be incomplete. ## A Coherent Framework, If You Know Where to Look Understanding the DSA and DMA as a **regulatory bundle** — Europe’s **Digital Services Package** — helps clarify the evolving digital landscape. > – DSA governs how platforms treat users and content– DMA governs how platforms treat competitors and markets Seen together, they signal a shift: from laissez-faire digital exceptionalism to a structured digital constitutionalism — one that puts both **freedom** and **fairness** at the heart of Europe’s online future. --- **Related** - [The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is Here and It’s Changing How Apps Work](https://hoeijmakers.net/eu-digital-markets-act/) - [Europe’s DSA and the New Contours of Online Freedom](https://hoeijmakers.net/europes-dsa-and-the-new-contours-of-online-freedom/) - [Playing the EU Game: Learning the Digital Rules by Getting in the Game](https://hoeijmakers.net/playing-the-eu-game/) - [Europe Fines X: The Moment the DSA Became Real](https://hoeijmakers.net/dsa-fines-x/)