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Cybersecurity, Data and Tech

Germany: Media Regulatory Update Series (New Updates)

By 4 Mins Read

In brief

Since November 2020, Germany has begun to introduce a myriad of media regulatory obligations that will affect a wide range of different media and technology service providers, these include:

  • social networks New Update
  • search engines New Update
  • game distribution platforms
  • video on demand (VOD) platforms 
  • app stores New Update
  • video games
  • publishers of movies and shows
  • video-sharing platforms New Update
  • media compilation apps and services New Update
  • smart devices/connected devices New Update
  • messenger services

Due to the number of new developments and regulatory rules included in several different laws, which apply to multiple services, it can be difficult not to lose track of all requirements. Therefore, we are starting a series that covers the most relevant requirements and to whom they apply, including the impact of the EU country of origin principle.

This post will be regularly updated with new regulatory law updates and then reposted on the main page. The following list includes links to descriptions of the most important updates, sorted by services.

Contents

  1. Social networks
  2. Search engines
  3. Game distribution platforms
  4. VOD platforms
  5. App stores
  6. Video games
  7. Movies and shows
  8. Video-sharing platforms
  9. Media compilation apps and services
  10. Smart devices/connected devices
  11. Messenger services

Some updates are relevant for more than one service provider category and, therefore, will be listed under several categories (e.g., under VOD platforms, game distribution platforms and app stores).

Social networks

The most important regulatory updates for social networks are summarized in the following posting:

Search engines

The most important regulatory updates for social networks are summarized in the following posting:

Game distribution platforms

The most important regulatory updates for game distribution platforms are summarized in the following postings:

VOD platforms

The most important regulatory updates for VOD platforms are summarized in the following postings:

App stores

The most important regulatory updates for app stores are summarized in the following postings:

Video games

The most relevant regulatory updates for video games are summarized in the following separate postings:

Movies and shows

The most important regulatory updates for movies and shows are summarized in the following posting:

Video-sharing platforms

The most important regulatory updates for video-sharing platforms are summarized in the following posting:

Media compilation apps and services

The most important regulatory updates for media compilation apps and services are summarized in the following postings:

Smart devices/connected devices

The most relevant regulatory updates for video games are summarized in the following separate postings:

Messenger services

The most important regulatory updates for messenger services are summarized in the following postings:

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Author

Sebastian Schwiddessen is a senior associate and a member of Baker McKenzie's TMT Practice in Berlin. Sebastian has been working in the entertainment and video games industry for over 18 years. At 21 he founded his own media news related business and web portal where he oversaw up to 50 content creators and was responsible for advertisement and regulatory matters. After joining Baker McKenzie in 2014, he sold his business to fully focus on his career as a legal advisor in the media and IT sector. Sebastian’s clients range from platform providers over market leading video gaming, film and entertainment companies to indie publishers. Sebastian is well-known as an advisor in the video games and entertainment sector. He also regularly advises a wide range of leading social media companies and video-sharing-platforms on regulatory and copyright related matters. Sebastian maintains good contacts to a a number of regulators in Germany where he has been invited several times to speak as legal expert on regulatory and other matters. Sebastian is Baker McKenzie’s designated contact for the GAME association in Germany and regularly visits video game industry events such as the Gamescom, VGBA Law Summit and the Games Industry Law Summit where he meets his clients.

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