Short answer
If you are in the European Union, the Digital Services Act gives you three things when a platform suspends your account or removes your content: a statement of reasons, a free internal complaint you can file for six months after the decision, and the right to take the dispute to a certified out-of-court dispute settlement body — such as Appeals Centre Europe for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Threads and YouTube. Those bodies are independent, free or low-cost for users, and their decisions are not binding, but platforms must engage with them in good faith.
Who these rights apply to
The DSA protects users in the EU, whatever the platform’s home country. It does not apply in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Türkiye or the US — users there rely on the platform’s own appeal process (and, in the UK, the complaint procedures required by the Online Safety Act). If you live in the EU, mention that in every appeal.
Right 1: a statement of reasons
When a platform suspends or restricts an account, removes content or limits its visibility, it has to tell you why: the facts, the rule or law applied, whether automated means were used, and how you can challenge it. If the notice is vague, ask for the statement of reasons and keep it — the next two steps rely on it.
Right 2: a free internal complaint
- You can complain against the decision free of charge for six months after it.
- The platform has to handle it in a timely, diligent and non-arbitrary way, and the decision may not be taken solely by automated means.
- Write it like evidence, not a protest: which decision, why it is wrong, and documents that prove it.
Right 3: an independent dispute settlement body
- Bodies certified by an EU Digital Services Coordinator review platform decisions, including account suspensions. The European Commission publishes the list.
- Appeals Centre Europe, certified in Ireland, handles Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Threads and YouTube; other bodies cover other platforms.
- For users the procedure is free or low-cost; if the body rules in your favour, the platform bears the fees.
- The decision is not binding on the platform, but platforms must engage in good faith, and they report on how they follow these decisions.
How we use these routes
An internal complaint built on the statement of reasons, followed — where it fails — by a well-documented dispute, is often the strongest route an EU user has. We prepare both as part of our Instagram and Facebook account recovery work. Courts remain available at any time; the DSA routes don’t replace them.
Frequently asked questions
Does the DSA apply if I live in the UK?
No. The DSA is EU law. UK users rely on the platform’s own appeals, and the Online Safety Act requires platforms to offer complaint procedures.
How long do I have to file an internal complaint?
At least six months from the decision, under Article 20 of the DSA. Don’t wait — evidence and logs are easier to obtain early.
Is a dispute settlement decision binding?
No. But the platform must engage in good faith, and a decision in your favour is a strong, independent finding to rely on.
Does it cost anything?
Internal complaints are free. Dispute bodies are free or charge a nominal fee to users, refunded or paid by the platform if you win.
Sources: European Commission — out-of-court dispute settlement under the DSA, Appeals Centre Europe