Digital Services Coordinator certifies another national out-of-court dispute settlement body for online platforms
Year of issue 2025
Date of issue 2025.11.04
The Digital Services Coordinator (DSC) at the Bundesnetzagentur has today certified KLN information services UG based in Gräfelfing as an out-of-court dispute settlement body in Germany in accordance with the Digital Services Act (DSA). This is the second dispute settlement body to be certified in Germany.
The KLN information services UG dispute settlement body mediates in disputes between users and the following platforms: Google Maps, YouTube, Reddit, Tinder, Hinge and OKcupid. The work is to be gradually expanded. Dispute settlement is offered free of charge to users and can be accessed at platform-control.com.
KLN information services UG has been certified as it meets the legal requirements pursuant to Article 21(3) DSA. In particular, it has demonstrated that it has the necessary expertise, independence and impartiality, that it has a swift, efficient and cost-effective approach and that it carries out its duties according to clear and fair rules of procedure.
Role of the out-of-court dispute settlement body for online platforms
Out-of-court dispute settlement with a certified dispute settlement body is a key element of the DSA in strengthening users’ rights. It offers users a quick and simple opportunity to resolve conflicts about decisions made by online platforms.
Users can contact a dispute settlement body directly if they do not agree with a platform’s decision to delete content, for example, or to restrict use by blocking a user account. In these and similar cases the out-of-court dispute settlement bodies mediate independently and impartially between the user and the online platform. The costs of dispute resolution are generally covered by the online platforms. The user is not charged any fees or at most a small nominal fee.
Out-of-court dispute settlement bodies have a high level of technical expertise and can examine and resolve disputes fairly, quickly and transparently.
Tasks of the Digital Services Coordinator (DSC)
The DSC, based at the Bundesnetzagentur, is the central coordinating body for enforcement of the DSA in Germany. It monitors intermediary services, including online platforms, for compliance with their obligations. It acts as a central point for complaints by online users about infringements of the DSA and coordinates cooperation between competent authorities in Germany and the EU.
The DSC certifies out-of-court dispute settlement bodies and trusted flaggers. It also handles applications by researchers to gain access to the data of very large online platforms and search engines.
In its enforcement of the DSA, the DSC works together with the Federal Agency for Child and Youth Protection in the Media (BzKJ), the Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia coordinating for the media authorities of the federal states, the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI), the European Commission and the DSCs of other Member States.