The Digital Services Coordinator (DSC) at Germany's Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) has commissioned WIK-Consult GmbH to carry out a study on transparency in content moderation and content restrictions by intermediary services. WIK-Consult is the scientific contract research subsidiary of WIK GmbH, a research institute with a public mandate and grant-funded basic research activities. For more than 40 years, WIK has provided independent research and policy advice in telecommunications, digitalisation, the internet and data economy, smart energy, postal services, and logistics.
We are looking for creators of digital online content, as well as people who support them with content creation, account management, or dealing with platform decisions.We are particularly interested in practical experiences with moderation decisions or other restrictions on online platforms. This may include the removal of individual posts, account suspensions, monetisation restrictions, reduced visibility, shadowbanning, or other measures affecting the discoverability or reach of content. We are particularly interested in experiences involvingTikTok, YouTube, Twitch, and Pornhub.
The interviews will be conducted by WIK-Consult staff in strict confidence, and the results will be anonymised before publication. It will not be possible to draw conclusions about individual persons.
The purpose of the interviews is the independent scientific evaluation of practical experiences with platform communication and moderation decisions. Participation is not part of a formal DSA complaint procedure.
Creators, agencies, managements, or others with relevant experience are welcome to contact Dr. Nico Steffen at n.steffen@wik.org. For further questions about the study, you may also contact the project manager Dr. Lukas Wiewiorra at l.wiewiorra@wik.org. Please also feel free to forward this call to potentially suitable individuals or organisations.
At a Glance
| Commissioned by | Digital Services Coordinator (DSC) at Germany's Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) |
| Conducted by | WIK-Consult GmbH |
| Topic | Transparency in content moderation and content restrictions by intermediary services |
| Who we are looking for | Creators, influencers, agencies, managements, and people supporting creators with content creation, account management, or moderation decisions |
| Relevant experiences | Removal of content, account suspensions, monetisation restrictions, visibility or reach restrictions, shadowbanning, complaint procedures |
| Platforms | In particular TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, and Pornhub |
| Legal framework | Digital Services Act (DSA), in particular Article 17 DSA |
| Format | Semi-structured interview via Microsoft Teams or telephone; interview guide provided in advance |
| Duration | Approx. 45-60 minutes |
| Languages | German or English |
| Confidentiality | Anonymised analysis; no publication of personal data or statements attributable to individuals |
| Interview contact | n.steffen@wik.org |
| Study lead contact | l.wiewiorra@wik.org |
