The EU Digital Services Act: What Does it Mean for Online Advertising and Adtech?

  • Date: 03.06.25
  • Location: Online
  • Time: 16:00 h

For this Leibniz Media Lecture, we welcome Prof. Frederik Zuiderveen Borgesius, Radboud University, Nijmegen. In his presentation, he will analyse the implications of the Digital Services Act (DSA) for online advertising.

Moderation: Dr. Tobias Mast

The event will be held in English.

About the Talk

What does the Digital Services Act (DSA) mean for online advertising? This presentation analyses the DSA rules that are most relevant for online advertising and adtech (advertising technology). The DSA introduces several specific requirements for online advertising. First, the DSA imposes transparency requirements for advertising. Second, very large online platforms (VLOPs) should develop a repository with information about the ads they presented. Third, the DSA bans profiling-based advertising if it uses sensitive data or if it targets children. The general rules of the DSA on illegal content also apply to advertising. Moreover, we conclude that some types of ad tech companies should be considered platforms. For example, ad networks, companies that connect advertisers to publishers of apps and websites, should be considered platforms. Hence, ad networks must comply with the more general obligations in the DSA.

See the draft paper: Pieter Wolters and Frederik Zuiderveen Borgesius, ‘The EU Digital Services Act: What Does it Mean for Online Advertising and Adtech?’, forthcoming in the International Journal of Law and Information Technology

About the Speaker

Frederik Zuiderveen Borgesius is Professor of Information and Communication Technology and Law. He works at the iHub the interdisciplinary research hub on digitalization and society. The iHub is an institute of the Radboud University in The Netherlands. His research predominantly concerns fundamental rights, such as the right to privacy and non-discrimination rights, in the context of new technologies. He often enriches legal research with insights from other disciplines. He has co-operated with, for instance, economists, computer scientists, and communication scholars. He regularly advises policymakers, and has given expert testimony at the Dutch and the European parliaments, and committees of the Council of Europe and the United Nations.

Poster zur Veranstaltung mit Bild des Referenten

Event details

Information

The Leibniz Media Lectures address current topics of scientific and social relevance. In a presentation, renowned researchers introduce and discuss their latest theses and findings with guests. The Leibniz Media Lectures take place online via Zoom.

Address

This event will take place online.

Registration

The event will take place online via Zoom. After registering for the event, you will receive an e-mail with the dial-in details shortly before the event begins.

Research programme:

RP 2 Regulatory Structures and the Emergence of Rules in Online Spaces

Persons involved:

Contact person

Wiebke Schoon

Dr. Wiebke Schoon

Research Transfer and Events

Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI)
Rothenbaumchaussee 36
20148 Hamburg
Germany

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