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Call for tenders: Study on how online marketplace design influences user behaviour by 23 September 2026

23 September 2026

By 23 September 2026, tenders must be submitted for a study on how online marketplace design influences user behaviour, a requirement under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This call for tenders targets researchers and organisations capable of conducting empirical studies on Very Large Online Marketplaces (VLOMs), aiming to inform future regulatory approaches.

The study, mandated by the Digital Services Act (DSA), will analyse the design choices of Very Large Online Marketplaces (VLOMs) and their impact on user behaviour, particularly concerning consumer decision making and potential manipulation. Organisations with expertise in empirical research methodologies, behavioural economics, or digital platform analysis are expected to demonstrate their capacity to undertake this complex work.

Successful tenderers will need to outline a robust methodology for data collection and analysis, ensuring the findings are comprehensive and actionable for regulatory bodies. This includes detailing how they will access and interpret platform design elements, measure user interactions, and identify causal links between design and behaviour, all while adhering to ethical research standards.

Evidence of prior experience in similar large scale digital behaviour studies, a clear project plan, and a team with relevant interdisciplinary skills will be crucial for any submission. The output will directly inform the European Commission's understanding of platform governance and its ongoing enforcement of the DSA.

Digital Services Act (DSA) sets 23 September 2026 as the point of effect, and the preparation it requires sits with teams who are measured on other work, which is why this date slips rather than the obligation being misread.

Digital Services Act (DSA)

Who this binds
Researchers and organisations capable of conducting empirical studies on user behaviour on Very Large Online Marketplaces (VLOMs)
What changed
What is fixed is the date: 23 September 2026, when the European Commission closes tenders for a study exploring user interactions with features mandated by the Digital Services Act (DSA) on selected online marketplaces.
What to check
Submit tenders for the study.
What this does not mean
This is a date in the diary, not a new obligation published today. Nothing in force changed this morning.

Send this to your team

A call for tenders for a study on online marketplace design and user behaviour, mandated by the Digital Services Act (DSA), closes on 23 September 2026, requiring empirical research on Very Large Online Marketplaces (VLOMs).

Today's question

A social media platform operating in the US is facing allegations of using addictive features that harm children and teens. Following a recent settlement with multiple states, what is a key obligation that such platforms must now consider?

  1. Implement comparable safety obligations and monetary resolutions involving other social media platforms.
  2. Obtain explicit parental consent for all users under 18, regardless of platform features.
  3. Cease all advertising directed at users under the age of 16.
  4. Relocate all user data servers to within the United States to avoid international data transfer issues.

Answer this question on the site

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