Under the EU Digital Services Act (Regulation 2022/2065, "DSA"), anyone, whether or not they hold an account, can notify us of content on our platform they consider illegal: a listing, a dealer profile, an image, or any other item we host.
1.How to submit a notice
Send your notice to report@worldwatch.so. So that we can assess it properly (Art. 16(2) DSA), please include:
- Why you consider the content illegal: a sufficiently substantiated explanation, with the legal basis if you know it.
- Where it is: the exact URL(s) or other information allowing us to locate the content.
- Who you are: your name and email address. Exception: notices concerning offences under Directive 2011/93/EU (child sexual abuse material) may be submitted anonymously.
- A statement of good faith: confirming your bona fide belief that the information in the notice is accurate and complete.
Notices from trusted flaggers designated under Art. 22 DSA are processed with priority.
2.What happens next
- Confirmation of receipt: we confirm receipt without undue delay (Art. 16(4)).
- Assessment: we review the notice in a timely, diligent, non-arbitrary and objective manner. Where we use automated tools to assist processing, we say so in our communications (Art. 16(6)). Decisions with legal effect are always reviewed by a person.
- Decision: we inform you of our decision and of your redress options (Art. 16(5)).
If we remove or restrict content, suspend or terminate an account, the affected user receives a statement of reasons meeting Art. 17(3) DSA (see annex below).
3.Redress
If you disagree with our decision, whether you are the notifier or the affected user, you can use, free of charge, our internal complaint-handling system for six months after the decision. You may also turn to a certified out-of-court dispute settlement body (Art. 21 DSA) or to court. Using our internal system never limits your right to go to court.
4.Misuse
We may suspend, after prior warning, the processing of notices from parties that frequently submit manifestly unfounded notices, and the accounts of users that frequently provide manifestly illegal content (Art. 23 DSA).
5.Contact point
Our single point of contact for Member State authorities, the European Commission, the European Board for Digital Services, and recipients of the service (Arts. 11 and 12 DSA):
dsa@worldwatch.so. Communication is possible in Dutch and English.
6.Annex, Statement of Reasons (Art. 17(3) DSA)
Every restriction we impose on the basis of illegal content or terms-incompatibility is accompanied by a statement containing:
| # | Element |
|---|---|
| 1 | The restriction imposed: content removal, visibility restriction, demotion, suspension or termination of the account, or suspension/restriction of monetary payments, with its territorial scope and duration |
| 2 | The facts and circumstances relied on, including, where applicable, that the action follows a notice submitted under Art. 16 by a third party |
| 3 | Whether automated means were used in taking the decision, including whether the content was detected or identified by automated means |
| 4 | For illegal content: the legal ground relied on and why the content is considered illegal on that ground |
| 5 | For terms-incompatible content: the contractual ground relied on (the specific provision of our User Terms or Acceptable Use Policy) and why the content is incompatible with it |
| 6 | Clear, user-friendly information on redress: the internal complaint-handling system, out-of-court dispute settlement, and judicial redress |
| 7 | The identity of the notifier is not disclosed, except where the restriction concerns intellectual-property rights or the notifier consents |
Statements of reasons are retained as records and, where required under Art. 24(5) DSA, submitted to the European Commission's DSA Transparency Database after removal of personal data.