Complaint procedures conform to regulations established in law which make such mechanisms necessary. For example, the TCO Regulation (TCO Regulation, Art. 10) stipulates that HSPs must establish an effective and accessible complaint mechanism to give users the opportunity to contest the removal or blocking of the content after a specific measure. Under the TCO Regulation, the content provider must be informed of the final outcome within two weeks.

A complaint mechanism is not simply a legal requirement. A clear and accessible complaint mechanism helps build trust with users – both with those whose content has been moderated and, in particular, with unaffected users who use the platform as intended. In this way, HSPs demonstrate that users can rely on moderation processes, that such processes are founded in a sense of responsibility towards users, and that platforms are considerate of fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and information.

Complaint mechanisms can be a helpful form of self-monitoring, whereby moderation measures and standards can be assessed for efficacy, fairness, and consistency. Such mechanisms can provide an assurance that your platform is used in the way it is intended to be, which further helps to protect the reputation of online services, and further protect the right to freedom of expression online.