Online safety & content laws in Switzerland (2026)
Online safety rules in Switzerland: proposed.
Switzerland does not yet have a comprehensive domestic online safety or platform-regulation law. The Federal Council opened consultation in October 2025 on a draft DSA-inspired Act on Communication Platforms and Search Engines (KoPSG), targeting very large platforms (≥10% of Swiss monthly active users ≈ 900,000). Existing rules provide age-verification obligations for on-demand audiovisual and video-game services and general data-protection coverage under the revised nFADP, but no overarching platform content-moderation regime is currently in force.
Legal framework
Draft Federal Act on Communication Platforms and Search Engines (KoPSG, consultation open until 16 Feb 2026); Federal Act on the Protection of Minors in Films and Video Games (JSFVG, in force 2024); Federal Act on Data Protection (nFADP, in force Sep 2023); Federal Act on the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications Traffic (BÜPF, revision proposed 2025); OFCOM / DETEC as primary supervisory authorities
Key points: internet & online safety in Switzerland
Proposed Platform Act (KoPSG)
On 29 October 2025 the Federal Council launched consultation on a draft Federal Act on Communication Platforms and Search Engines, modelled on the EU DSA. It would impose content-reporting mechanisms, internal complaints procedures, mandatory participation in certified out-of-court dispute resolution, advertising-archive obligations, and transparency on recommendation systems. Consultation closed 16 February 2026; parliamentary timeline not yet set.
Scope: very-large platforms only
The KoPSG draft targets only platforms whose primary function is to store and publicly disseminate user content and that have at least 10% of Switzerland's resident population (≈900,000 people) as monthly active users over a six-month period, plus large search engines. Smaller services are excluded.
Age verification, JSFVG in force
The Federal Act on the Protection of Minors in Films and Video Games (JSFVG), passed September 2022 and progressively in force since 2024, requires on-demand service providers to implement age-verification and parental-control systems before first use, and to restrict access to age-inappropriate content including pornography (minimum age 16).
EU DSA extraterritorial effect
Switzerland is not an EU member and the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) is not directly Swiss law, but Swiss-based companies that offer services to EU users and qualify as intermediary services under the DSA must comply with its obligations. Major platforms operating in Switzerland are therefore subject to DSA requirements in parallel with any forthcoming Swiss rules.
BÜPF/VÜPF surveillance revision proposed
In January 2025 the Federal Council opened consultation (closed 6 May 2025) on a partial revision of the telecommunications-surveillance ordinance (VÜPF). Key proposals include requiring Swiss email and VPN providers with ≥5,000 users to log and retain IP metadata for six months and to deliver metadata to authorities in real time; Article 50a would compel providers to decrypt data they have themselves encrypted. Significant industry and civil-society opposition has been lodged; a final decision was expected no earlier than autumn 2025.
Data protection, nFADP in force
The revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nFADP/DSG) has been in force since 1 September 2023. It significantly updated Switzerland's data-protection framework (bringing it closer to GDPR standards) and imposes obligations on platforms and online services processing Swiss residents' personal data, including breach notification, privacy-by-design, and data-processing impact assessments.
Timeline of decisions
- Law · officialFederal Council Opens Consultation on Platform Regulation Act (KomPG)
The Federal Council launched a public consultation on the draft Federal Act on Communication Platforms and Search Engines (KomPG), targeting very large online platforms and search engines used by ≥10% of Swiss residents monthly (approx. 900,000 users). The bill imposes content-reporting channels, algorithmic transparency, advertising archives, GTC requirements, and a mandatory Swiss legal representative for foreign operators. Consultation closed 16 February 2026.
DETEC (Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications)
- Law · officialReferendum: Voters Extend Anti-Discrimination Law to Online Hate Speech
Swiss voters approved (63.1% in favour) extending the criminal anti-discrimination norm (Art. 261bis SCC) to cover sexual orientation, explicitly criminalising discriminatory statements made on social media, television, and public venues. This was the first direct-democratic extension of Swiss speech law to cover online platforms.
Federal Chancellery
Sources
- uvek.admin.ch/en/newnsb/6TmEAde4htulaWG9CWYtK
- fedlex.admin.ch/eli/fga/2025/19/fr
- fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2022/491/en
- lenzstaehelin.com/news-and-insights/browse-thought-leadership-insights/insights-detail/
- cms-lawnow.com/en/ealerts/2024/05/upcoming-new-law-on-the-protection-of-youth-in-fil
- haerting.ch/en/insights/neue-ueberwachungspflichten-fuer-telekommunikationsanbiet
- mondaq.com/corporate-governance/1573560/digital-services-act-dsa-implications-fo
- isoc.ch/swiss-surveillance-ordinance-encryption-threat-vupf-oscpt/
- connectontech.bakermckenzie.com/switzerland-new-law-on-communication-platforms-and-search-engines-sta
- pxl-vision.com/en/glossary/jsfvg
- connectontech.bakermckenzie.com/swiss-platform-regulation-is-dsa-compliance-enough/
Next for Switzerland: CybersecurityComprehensive law
Next topicOrientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 24 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026