📖 Content moderation glossary
What is a trusted flagger?
In short
A trusted flagger is an entity with particular expertise, awarded that status by the Digital Services Coordinator of its member state, whose notices of illegal content online platforms must process with priority and without undue delay (DSA Article 22).
Trusted flagger status is not granted to individuals. The entity must show expertise in detecting illegal content, independence from online platforms, and that it submits notices diligently, accurately and objectively. Trusted flaggers publish an annual report on the notices they submit, and the status can be suspended or revoked if they misuse it.
Example: an association fighting antisemitism, recognised as a trusted flagger in its country, reports a comment on an online platform that it considers to be illegal incitement to hatred. The platform must treat this notice ahead of ordinary reports.
For organisations that host comments, the practical point is to identify notices coming from trusted flaggers and route them to the top of the moderation queue, with the same diligence and record-keeping as other reports.