The eco Complaints Office reports the highest number of actionable complaints since the initiative was established 30 years ago. In 30,035 cases in 2025, the eco Complaints Office identified a legal violation and subsequently took action as documented in its Annual Report 2025. This not only represents a significant increase compared to the previous year, but also surpasses the previous record year of 2023. ecoâs Complaints Office is an integral part of Germanyâs system of regulated self-regulation. It enables Internet users to report harmful-to-minors and criminal content free of charge and anonymously, and works closely with providers, authorities and international partners.
Over the past three decades, the digital ecosystem has changed fundamentally. Social media, messaging services and AI applications now shape everyday lives and create new risks including unrestricted access to violent and potentially harmful online content, cyber grooming or deepfakes. These risks are also addressed in public discourses demanding further regulation. While the EU is still in the process of discussing age limits for social media platforms, France has now become the first European country to introduce a general minimum of 15 years for the use of social media. However, eco criticises Franceâs decision and calls for a uniform approach to avoid fragmentation of the single market and unnecessary compliance hurdles for providers of digital services. Cross-border digital services require a solution on EU level.
Furthermore, this week marks the beginning of the transparency obligations under Article 50 of the EU AI Act that now apply across the European Union, involving new labelling and information obligations when it comes to AI-generated and AI-manipulated content. In the European Commissionâs final guidelines, key questions remain unanswered. eco has published a German factsheet as guidance on this topic.
With the German parliamentary recess coming to an end, eco’s annual Summer Reception in Berlin signals the beginning of the second half of the political year. eco will continue to closely follow legislative initiatives affecting the digital sector.
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