At its meeting on October 16, 2025, the German Bundestag nominated Prof. Dr. Franz Hofmann, Chair of Civil Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Technology Law at the Faculty of Law of Friedrich-Alexander University, as one of four representatives of academia for the Advisory Board of the Digital Services Coordinator (DSC) at the Federal Network Agency (cf. § 21 DDG). Essentially, this is a committee for advising on matters relating to the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The Digital Services Act is a kind of “basic law of the internet.” In particular, it regulates the liability of online platforms for illegal third-party content. However, it also contains regulations on “dark patterns” and transparency requirements for advertising and recommendation systems on online services. It specifically addresses very large online platforms and very large online search engines. They must ensure that the risks posed by their services are minimized.
Hofmann explained: “As important as it is to enforce the law on online platforms, etc., the details are difficult. Freedom of expression, entrepreneurial freedom, and the rights/interests of third parties must be carefully weighed.” Hofmann is not only a proven expert on platform liability, but also publishes the leading commentary on the Digital Services Act together with Benjamin Raue.
The photo shows Prof. Dr. Franz Hofmann (left) and Member of the German Bundestag Dr. Konrad Körner. As a member of the German Bundestag’s Committee on Digital Affairs and State Modernization, Körner has been campaigning for one of the four seats for experts from the scientific community on the DSC Advisory Board to be filled by an expert from Erlangen. Körner studied law in Erlangen and received his doctorate from FAU in 2021.