Learn how Flipsnack helps organizations and individual users meet their responsibilities under the UK Online Safety Act (OSA) and the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) through content moderation tools, user safety mechanisms, and transparency controls.
Table of contents
- Introduction to the Online Safety Act and Digital Services Act
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What do the Online Safety Act and Digital Services Act cover?
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Online Safety Act, Digital Services Act, and digital platforms
Introduction to the Online Safety Act and Digital Services Act
The UK Online Safety Act (OSA) and the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) are modern regulatory frameworks designed to make online environments safer, more transparent, and accountable. Both laws apply to platforms that host or enable user-generated content (UGC), especially if those platforms are accessible by UK or EU residents.
These regulations place legal obligations on digital services to mitigate risks such as illegal content, harmful interactions, children’s safety, and disinformation, while also requiring platforms to provide tools for user reporting, transparency, and content moderation.
What do the Online Safety Act and Digital Services Act cover?
The Online Safety Act (OSA) in the UK and the Digital Services Act (DSA) in the EU establish comprehensive legal frameworks to protect users from illegal and harmful online content. These laws require digital platforms to implement clear procedures for detecting, removing, and preventing the spread of content such as child sexual abuse material, terrorism-related content, hate speech, and cyberbullying. They mandate the use of robust reporting mechanisms that allow users to flag problematic content and require platforms to act promptly and transparently in response.
Both laws also emphasize the protection of minors by requiring age-appropriate safeguards, risk assessments, and design choices that minimize harm. In addition, platforms must publish regular transparency reports detailing moderation efforts and cooperate with national regulators (Ofcom in the UK and Digital Services Coordinators in the EU).
For larger platforms, the DSA introduces stricter obligations around algorithmic accountability, systemic risk mitigation, and independent audits. Together, these regulations ensure that digital services operate in a way that prioritizes user safety, content accountability, and legal compliance across jurisdictions.
Online Safety Act, Digital Services Act, and digital platforms
Although Flipsnack is not classified as a "very large online platform" (VLOP) under the DSA or a "Category 1" service under the OSA, it is still subject to core regulatory obligations under both laws due to its role in hosting user-generated content accessible in the UK and EU. Flipsnack implements these required measures to ensure legal compliance, platform safety, and user protection.
Digital platforms like Flipsnack, which allow users to create, publish, or share content, must consider compliance with OSA and DSA if their services are accessible in the UK or EU. If your organization uses Flipsnack to share interactive publications, especially with public access, it’s essential to ensure that this content is monitored and managed in a way that aligns with online safety and transparency obligations.
While Flipsnack provides built-in tools for reporting, access control, and moderation, organizations remain responsible for how they configure and use the platform—particularly when working with sensitive audiences or regulated sectors such as education, media, or public communication.
Flipsnack’s role in OSA and DSA compliance
Flipsnack, as a digital publishing platform that enables users to create and share interactive content, may fall under the scope of both the UK Online Safety Act (OSA) and the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) when its services are accessed by users in those regions. These regulations apply to platforms that host or facilitate the distribution of user-generated content (UGC), especially when that content is made public or widely shared. Here’s how Flipsnack supports OSA and DSA compliance:
User Safety and Moderation Tools
Flipsnack provides users with features that support content moderation and risk mitigation, including visibility controls (e.g., unlisted links, private workspaces), password protection, and domain-based access restrictions. These tools are especially useful in minimizing exposure to harmful or inappropriate content, in line with OSA and DSA expectations.
AI-Powered Detection and Compliance Review
In addition to user-configurable tools, Flipsnack actively monitors the platform using a combination of automated systems and human moderation. Our AI technology assists in identifying content that may violate legal or platform standards, such as harmful imagery, hate speech, or explicit material, by analyzing contextual signals. These automated flags are escalated to our dedicated Compliance and Moderation Team, who perform case-by-case reviews to ensure accuracy, fairness, and legal alignment. This dual approach ensures that inappropriate or illegal content is addressed efficiently and in accordance with the requirements of the OSA and DSA, while also maintaining transparency and accountability in decision-making.
Content Reporting and Removal
Flipsnack includes built-in mechanisms to report inappropriate or abusive content. Any user, whether logged in or not, can report content they believe violates our policies through our dedicated Report Abuse page. This public form allows individuals to quickly flag publications they consider illegal, harmful, or misleading. Once a report is submitted, it is reviewed by our moderation team, and appropriate action is taken based on the nature and severity of the violation. Where necessary, content is removed in a timely manner. This process ensures compliance with the OSA’s and DSA’s requirements for accessible reporting systems and prompt takedown actions, while also supporting transparency and accountability in content moderation.
Appeals Process
If your content is removed or restricted, you may appeal the decision through our in-app support channel. Our team reviews all appeals fairly and in line with our platform rules and applicable regulatory standards. You can also review our Terms of Service and Content Review Policy to understand what content is permitted on Flipsnack.
Transparency and Risk Management
Flipsnack maintains detailed logs of moderation actions and will begin publishing transparency summaries every six months, exceeding the minimum annual reporting obligation under the DSA. These reports provide insight into how Flipsnack handles flagged content, the types of violations addressed, and the measures taken to protect users from potential harms. For enterprise and institutional clients, we also support audit trails and administrative access reviews.
Children’s and Vulnerable Users’ Protection
Flipsnack offers features that enable safe sharing with age-sensitive audiences, such as disabling embeds, anonymizing analytics, and restricting content visibility. These controls support compliance with child safety provisions under both regulations, especially for educational or family-oriented content.
Regulatory Cooperation
Flipsnack is prepared to cooperate with national regulators such as Ofcom (UK) and Digital Services Coordinators (EU) when required. This includes responding to lawful takedown requests, content orders, or inquiries in accordance with OSA and DSA.
Shared Responsibility
Compliance with OSA and DSA is a shared responsibility between Flipsnack and its users. While Flipsnack provides the necessary tools and technical safeguards to support online safety and transparency, it is up to users to configure these settings appropriately, avoid sharing harmful or unlawful content, and respond to moderation or takedown requests as needed.
User responsibilities
Users of Flipsnack whose content is accessible in the UK or EU—especially those publishing interactive materials publicly—must take several steps to ensure their activities on the platform comply with the Online Safety Act (OSA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA):
- If your content is intended for public or wide distribution, ensure that it does not include illegal, harmful, or misleading material, especially content that could affect children, promote hate, or violate local laws in the UK or EU.
- Use Flipsnack’s content visibility and access controls—such as password protection, unlisted sharing, or domain restrictions—to minimize exposure of sensitive or age-inappropriate content to unintended audiences.
- Monitor and moderate your published content regularly to ensure it remains appropriate, safe, and aligned with OSA/DSA standards. This includes removing outdated, inaccurate, or user-generated content that could be considered harmful.
- Respond promptly to flagged content or takedown requests received via Flipsnack’s reporting tools or from regulatory bodies. Cooperation and timely action are essential to maintaining compliance.
- Enable safety-by-design practices by carefully configuring settings for analytics, embeds, and audience interaction—especially when content is directed at or accessible to children or vulnerable groups.
Conclusion
Flipsnack can be a powerful platform for organizations and individuals looking to create and share digital content across the UK and EU. However, to ensure compliance with the Online Safety Act (OSA) and Digital Services Act (DSA), it is essential to use the platform responsibly—by leveraging built-in safety tools, moderating publicly shared content, protecting young or vulnerable audiences, and responding promptly to reports or takedown requests.
By configuring Flipsnack’s privacy and access controls appropriately and actively managing your content, you can meet your obligations under these regulations while creating a safer, more transparent online experience for your readers.
Need expert support?
Our team is here to help. If you have questions about using Flipsnack in a way that aligns with the Online Safety Act or the Digital Services Act, you can connect with our compliance experts via email at legal@flipsnack.com, or reach out through the in-app chat for personalized assistance. We’re committed to helping you publish safely and responsibly.