Empowering Researchers with Unprecedented Data Access (data-access.dsa.ec.europa.eu)

The EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) data access portal has opened a structured path for researchers to request platform datasets: anyone wanting to create a data‑access application must first register with a user profile in the portal, and vetted researchers can submit applications starting 29 October 2025. Very large online platforms and search engines are routed to a separate “Platforms” portal. The portal also catalogs ongoing research projects authorized under Article 40 of the DSA and offers a short researcher guide to help applicants navigate vetting and submission steps. For AI/ML practitioners this is significant because it institutionalizes access to platform data that has been hard to obtain—enabling empirical work on algorithmic behavior, misinformation, moderation, ranking effects, and model evaluation at scale. Key operational details: mandatory researcher registration, a vetting process tied to Article 40, a clear application start date, and a distinct intake channel for VLOPs/VLOSEs. While the announcement doesn’t detail data formats or privacy safeguards, the Article 40 framework implies controlled, accountable access rather than open dumps—important for reproducibility, auditability, and responsible research practices going forward.