EU seeks evidence on searchable advertising libraries under the DSA
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The European Commission has opened a call for evidence on how large online platforms and search engines should design their advertising libraries. The work focuses on whether those libraries are searchable, reveal useful targeting information and make advertising content accessible.
The consultation opened on 4 November 2026 and closes on 2 December. It will inform technical guidelines under the Digital Services Act. The Commission plans a targeted consultation in 2027 and publication of the guidelines in the second quarter of 2028.
The issue is usability, as well as disclosure
The Commission says the guidelines are intended to support the advertising repositories maintained by very large online platforms and very large online search engines. Under the DSA framework described in its announcement, the repositories contain information such as the advertisement, payer, display period, reach and main targeting criteria.
A library is more useful to a reader or researcher when a result can be found, understood and revisited. A record that exists but cannot be located through the available search tools is harder to use for scrutiny.
What a reader can ask of an ad record
For someone investigating an advertisement, useful questions include: which advertisement is this, who is identified as paying, when did it run, and what does the repository say about its audience? The answers should be kept separate from the investigator’s conclusions about the advertisement.
A listed payer is not automatically proof of every claim made by the advertiser. An audience estimate does not identify each individual who saw the advertisement. A missing search result also needs cautious interpretation: the query, service coverage, timing and library limitations may matter.
Record the search terms, service, date and record reference when documenting a result. That makes it easier for another person to understand the evidence and distinguish a changed listing from an initial search error.
What this means for a small publisher
The announcement concerns the specified large platforms and search engines. It should not be read as a new requirement that every small website immediately build a DSA advertising repository.
Small businesses can still learn from the transparency questions. Keep a clear record of the campaigns they commission, the responsible account, the approved material and the contact who can answer a complaint. If a campaign uses customer information, the handling of that information needs its own review.
The privacy operations guide explains how a business can document collection and handovers. The customer-data register offers a practical starting point for identifying what reaches an advertising supplier.
What happens next?
The current step is evidence gathering. The planned guidelines have not been published as final rules in this announcement. Readers following the process should distinguish the existing DSA obligations, the current consultation and the later proposed implementation guidance.
Can an advertising library prove that a campaign is safe?
No. It can provide evidence relevant to scrutiny, but it does not replace checking the advertisement’s claims, destination, identity and handling of personal information. Treat the record as a source to examine, not a badge of legitimacy.
Featured image: AI-generated conceptual illustration.
