In brief
Since November 2020, Germany has begun to introduce a myriad of media regulatory obligations that will affect a wide range of different media and technology service providers, these include:
- social networks
- search engines
- game distribution platforms
- video on demand (VOD) platforms New Update
- app stores
- video games
- publishers of movies and shows
- video-sharing platforms
- media compilation apps and services New Update
- smart devices/connected devices New Update
- messenger services
Due to the number of new developments and regulatory rules included in several different laws, which apply to multiple services, it can be difficult not to lose track of all requirements. Therefore, we are starting a series that covers the most relevant requirements and to whom they apply, including the impact of the EU country of origin principle.
This post will be regularly updated with new regulatory law updates and then reposted on the main page. The following list includes links to descriptions of the most important updates, sorted by services.
Contents
- Social networks
- Search engines
- Game distribution platforms
- VOD platforms
- App stores
- Video games
- Movies and shows
- Video-sharing platforms
- Media compilation apps and services
- Smart devices/connected devices
- Messenger services
Some updates are relevant for more than one service provider category and, therefore, will be listed under several categories (e.g., under VOD platforms, game distribution platforms and app stores).
Social networks
The most important regulatory updates for social networks are summarized in the following posting:
Search engines
Insights will follow soon.
Game distribution platforms
The most important regulatory updates for game distribution platforms are summarized in the following postings:
- Requirement to obtain and provide age ratings and content descriptors that must meet certain requirements
- Introduction of descriptors for age ratings
- Safety by design requirement: requirement to implement preemptive protection measures
VOD platforms
The most important regulatory updates for VOD platforms are summarized in the following postings:
- Requirement to obtain and provide age ratings and content descriptors that must meet certain requirements
- Introduction of descriptors for age ratings
- New Update Content quotas for European film productions (12 July 2021)
App stores
The most important regulatory updates for app stores are summarized in the following postings:
- Requirement to obtain and provide age ratings and content descriptors that must meet certain requirements
- Introduction of descriptors for age ratings
Video games
The most relevant regulatory updates for video games are summarized in the following separate postings:
- Potential higher age ratings for video games
- Introduction of descriptors for age ratings
- Safety by design requirement: requirement to implement preemptive protection measures
Movies and shows
The most important regulatory updates for movies and shows are summarized in the following posting:
Video-sharing platforms
The most important regulatory updates for video-sharing platforms are summarized in the following posting:
Media compilation apps and services
The most important regulatory updates for media compilation apps and services are summarized in the following postings:
- Requirement to obtain and provide age ratings and content descriptors that must meet certain requirements
- Introduction of descriptors for age ratings
- New Update Diversity, equal opportunity, nondiscrimination and notification rules (12 July 2021)
- New Update Transparency obligations (12 July 2021)
- New Update User interface regulation, including nondiscrimination, discoverability and other rules (12 July 2021)
- New Update Content quotas for European film productions (12 July 2021)
- New Update Requirement to notify the state media regulator of the operation of a user interface and media platform (12 July 2021)
Smart devices/connected devices
The most relevant regulatory updates for video games are summarized in the following separate postings:
- New Update Diversity, equal opportunity, nondiscrimination and notification rules (12 July 2021)
- New Update Transparency obligations (12 July 2021)
- New Update User interface regulation, including nondiscrimination, discoverability and other rules (12 July 2021)
- New Update Requirement to notify the state media regulator of the operation of a user interface and media platform (12 July 2021)
Messenger services
The most important regulatory updates for messenger services are summarized in the following postings:
