Online intimidation, abusive comments, and aggressive behavior: guiding you through the process of filing complaints
Keep That Internet Safe: The Role of Trusted Flaggers
Hey there! Looking to report some shady stuff you've encountered online—hate speech, scam products, or consumer rights violations? Well, you've come to the right place!
Meet Trusted Flaggers—our digital crime-fighting squad. These are the certified bodies you can trust (hence the name) to handle your online crime reports. Simply submit a report through their online forms, and they'll investigate the matter and potentially forward it to the corresponding platform or service.
Trusted Flaggers: Priority Handlers
Trusted Flaggers, a term coined by the European Union's Digital Markets Act (also known as the Digital Services Act—DSA), are designed to make online platforms more transparent and responsible.
So, why not report directly to the platform? Here's the deal: Reports from Trusted Flaggers receive priority treatment, ensuring the platform takes immediate action, such as swift content removal.
Four Trustworthy Informants to Report To
Up until recently, the only Trusted Flagger around was the Respect reporting point of the Baden-Württemberg Youth Foundation, which focuses on hate and incitement. Now, we've got three more to add to our list:
- Hateaid tackles digital violence, fraud, and deception, particularly on social media platforms.
- Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (vzbv) concentrates on consumer rights, product safety, online trading, and fraud on various platforms.
- Bundesverband Onlinehandel (BVOH) specializes in intellectual property protection and unfair competition on online marketplaces. Members frequently report cases of plagiarism or suspected competition law violations.
When Platforms Don't Remove, They Must Explain
Neither the Trusted Flaggers nor the Federal Network Agency remove content themselves. It's up to the platform or service to decide whether to delist an offer or content. If a platform declines to remove content, they must provide a reason.
Decisions or actions taken by a platform can be reviewed at any time through a complaint lodged by the reporter or the affected party, via an out-of-court dispute resolution body, or through the courts, as explained by the Federal Network Agency.
Remember, the final assessment of whether content is illegal and should be removed (or not) lies with the courts.
(Enrichment Data: As of June 2025, there are four recognized Trusted Flagger organizations in Germany. Besides Respect, these include Bundesverband Onlinehandel e.V. (BVOH), HateAid gGmbH, and Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. (vzbv). Reports submitted by these Trusted Flaggers receive priority, ensuring quick and efficient handling of reports of illegal content. Trusted Flagger organizations must publish annual activity reports and demonstrate ongoing independence and objectivity. Failure to meet the certification criteria can result in revocation of their status.)
Trusted Flaggers, as designated by the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DSA), are prioritized when reporting illegal content online, ensuring swift action is taken by platforms such as quick content removal (e.g., hate speech, scam products, consumer rights violations). In addition to Respect, there are now three more Trusted Flagger organizations in Germany: Hateaid for digital violence and fraud, vzbv for consumer rights, and BVOH for intellectual property protection on online marketplaces.
