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From its inception, this centralized database has sparked scholarly interest as an unprecedented and potentially unique trove of data on real-world online moderation. Here, we thoroughly analyze all 353.12M records submitted by the eight largest social media platforms in the EU during the first 100 days of the database. Specifically, we conduct a platform-wise comparative study of their: volume of moderation actions, grounds for decision, types of applied restrictions, types of moderated content, timeliness in undertaking and submitting moderation actions, and use of automation. Furthermore, we systematically cross-check the contents of the database with the platforms' own transparency reports. Our analyses reveal that (i) the platforms adhered only in part to the philosophy and structure of the database, (ii) the structure of the database is partially inadequate for the platforms' reporting needs, (iii) the platforms exhibited substantial differences in their moderation actions, (iv) a remarkable fraction of the database data is inconsistent, (v) the platform X (formerly Twitter) presents the most inconsistencies. Our findings have far-reaching implications for policymakers and scholars across diverse disciplines. They offer guidance for future regulations that cater to the reporting needs of online platforms in general, but also highlight opportunities to improve and refine the database itself.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1145\/3711085","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,3]],"date-time":"2025-05-03T01:35:37Z","timestamp":1746236137000},"page":"1-28","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1145\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["The DSA Transparency Database: Auditing Self-reported Moderation Actions by Social Media"],"prefix":"10.1145","volume":"9","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6227-0944","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Amaury","family":"Trujillo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Informatics and Telematics, National Research Council (IIT-CNR), Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1921-7456","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tiziano","family":"Fagni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Informatics and Telematics, National Research Council (IIT-CNR), Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0170-2445","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stefano","family":"Cresci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Informatics and Telematics, National Research Council (IIT-CNR), Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"320","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_1_1_1","volume-title":"Protection for private blocking and screening of offensive material. https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/uscode\/text\/47\/230. 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Free speech savior or shield for scoundrels: an empirical study of intermediary immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review, Vol. 43 (2009), 373.","journal-title":"Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1609\/icwsm.v14i1.7347"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_8_1","volume-title":"How online advertising targets consumers: The uses of categories and algorithmic tools by audience planners","author":"Beauvisage Thomas","year":"2023","unstructured":"Thomas Beauvisage, Jean-Samuel Beuscart, Samuel Coavoux, and Kevin Mellet. 2023. How online advertising targets consumers: The uses of categories and algorithmic tools by audience planners. New Media & Society (2023), 14614448221146174."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_9_1","unstructured":"Ilaria Buri and Joris van Hoboken. 2021. The Digital Services Act (DSA) proposal: A critical overview. Technical Report. Digital Services Act (DSA) Observatory. Institute for Information Law (IViR) University of Amsterdam."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/err.2021.8"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2818048.2819963"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3490499"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/pls.2021.19"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_14_1","article-title":"The Digital Services Act (DSA): A new era for online harms and intermediary liability","volume":"4","author":"Church Peter","year":"2023","unstructured":"Peter Church and Ceyhun Necati Pehlivan. 2023. The Digital Services Act (DSA): A new era for online harms and intermediary liability. Global Privacy Law Review, Vol. 4, 1 (2023).","journal-title":"Global Privacy Law Review"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_15_1","volume-title":"Commission opens formal proceedings against X under the Digital Services Act. https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/commission\/presscorner\/detail\/en\/IP23_6709. 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