Frequently asked questions
Find answers to common questions about bringing a dispute to Impress Dispute Resolutions (IDR): whether we can help with your case, what it costs, how to submit, what happens next, and what a decision can do. We decide disputes about illegal content on social media and content sharing platforms, whether the platform removed the content or left it up.
Can IDR help me?
Common questions about who can bring a case, which platforms and content types we cover, where you need to be based, and the difference between illegal content and content that breaks a platform’s own rules.
What is IDR?
Impress Dispute Resolutions (IDR) is an out-of-court dispute settlement body that decides disputes about illegal content on social media and content sharing platforms. If a platform removed your content, or left up content you reported, a qualified lawyer will look at that decision and give you a written decision on whether the platform got it right. It is free to you, it is online, and you do not need a lawyer.
What kinds of complaints can IDR look at?
We take cases about illegal content in six areas: privacy and personal data, defamation and hate speech and threats, copyright and intellectual property, non-consensual images and deepfakes and doxing, bullying and stalking and sexual harassment, and incitement to violence or hatred. The content has to be against the law, not just against the platform’s own rules. Each category has examples so you can see whether yours fits.
Which platforms does IDR cover?
We cover the largest social media and content sharing platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit and others. The full list is on our ‘What we can decide’ page. We add platforms as our capacity grows.
The platform I want to complain about is not on your list. Can you still help?
Get in touch and tell us which platform it is. We keep the list under review and add platforms as we grow, so it is worth asking rather than assuming the answer is no.
Do I have to live in the EU?
Not necessarily. Your case needs a substantial connection to the EU, which usually means you live in an EU country, but there are other ways a case can qualify.
I do not live in the EU. Can I still bring a complaint?
Possibly. A substantial connection to the EU can also come from the content being posted by someone in the EU, the content targeting an EU audience, a business you run in the EU being affected, the harm happening while you were in the EU, or your case concerning data held in the EU.
Do I have to complain to the platform first?
We strongly recommend it. Your case decision-maker is reviewing a decision the platform has made, so without one there is much less for them to work with, and cases that skip this step are much harder to take forward. If you have already reported it and had an answer, you are in the best position to bring a case.
The platform removed my post. Can you help?
Yes, if the platform acted on the grounds that your content broke the law and you believe it did not. If it was removed for breaking the platform’s community guidelines, and the content was not illegal, that sits outside what we can do. The platform’s decision message usually says which reason applied.
Content has to be illegal, not just against the platform’s rules →
I reported something and the platform did nothing. Can you help?
Yes. If you reported illegal content and the platform decided not to remove it, that decision is something we can look at. We will need what you reported, when you reported it, and the platform’s response.
My account was suspended. Can you help?
Yes, if the suspension was on the grounds that your content or conduct broke the law and you believe it did not. Your case decision-maker can direct the platform to reinstate your account. If the suspension was for breaking the platform’s own rules rather than the law, we cannot take it.
Can I complain about content that is not about me?
Yes. If you reported illegal content to a platform and it decided to leave the content up, you can bring that decision to us whether or not the content is about you. What matters is that you reported it and you disagree with what the platform decided.
Can I complain on behalf of someone else?
Yes. You can submit as a legal representative, a carer or family member, or an agent, and the form will ask who you are acting for and what your relationship to them is. You will be asked to confirm that you have authority to act, and we may ask you to evidence that during the case.
Can my business or organisation bring a complaint?
Yes. The form lets you submit on behalf of a business, charity or other organisation, and several of the categories we cover, including copyright, trademark and counterfeit goods, mostly affect them. The case still needs a substantial connection to the EU.
What is the difference between illegal content and content that breaks a platform’s rules?
Some content is against the law. Other content is legal but breaks the platform’s own rules about what it will host, which are usually called community guidelines or terms of service. We only take cases about content that is against the law.
Content has to be illegal, not just against the platform’s rules →
The platform said my post broke their community guidelines. Can you help?
Probably not. If the platform removed your post under its own rules, and the content was not illegal, that is outside our certification. It is worth reading the decision message closely, because platforms sometimes cite both their rules and the law.
Content has to be illegal, not just against the platform’s rules →
How do I know which reason the platform used?
Check the message the platform sent you when it made its decision. It usually says whether the content was removed under the platform’s own rules or on legal grounds, and often names the specific rule or law. If it is not clear, submit anyway and we will look at it.
Content has to be illegal, not just against the platform’s rules →
What if the platform gave both reasons?
Submit your case. Where a platform cites both its own rules and a legal ground, we will look at whether there is a legal decision for us to review. We will tell you within two working days whether we can take it.
What if the platform did not give a reason at all?
Submit anyway and tell us what happened. We will tell you whether there is enough for us to work with.
What if the content is not in English?
We can only take cases where the content itself is in English, and the eligibility check asks you to confirm that before you go any further. We currently work in English and will add more languages as the service grows.
What if my case is already in court?
We cannot take it while it is live. If your case is subject to active legal proceedings in any jurisdiction, that is outside what we can do, but you are welcome to come back to us once those proceedings have concluded. Bringing a case to us never affects your right to go to court, before, during or afterwards.
What if another dispute body is already looking at it?
We cannot take it. If your case is with another out of court dispute settlement body, or one has already decided it, we cannot look at the same issues again.
I am under 18. Can I bring a complaint?
You must be 18 or over to submit a complaint yourself. An adult can submit on behalf of someone under 18 where they have permission to act for them.
Is there a time limit for bringing a complaint?
There is no time limit. You can bring a case however long ago the platform made its decision. The one restriction is that the content has to date from after the Digital Services Act came into effect on 16 November 2022, because that is when the right to bring a dispute to a body like ours began.
What if my complaint covers more than one thing?
Bring each one as a separate complaint. A case is decided on a single platform decision, so if you are disputing more than one, submit each separately and each is assessed on its own.
Can I bring more than one complaint?
Yes. Each complaint is assessed on its own and needs its own submission. The form asks whether you have brought a case to us before, so have your previous case reference to hand if you have.
What if the platform has already changed its decision?
Tell us. A platform can decline to engage where the same dispute, about the same content and the same grounds, has already been resolved. If the platform has given you what you asked for, there may be nothing left for a case decision-maker to decide.
What it costs
Answers to questions about our fees, who pays for the process, whether you can be charged if a decision goes against you, and how we stay independent of the platforms that fund us.
How much does it cost?
Nothing. It is free at every stage, whatever the outcome, and there is no charge for the eligibility check, the submission or the decision.
Will I have to pay if the decision goes against me?
No. You pay nothing at any stage, whichever way the decision goes. There is no risk of a bill at the end.
If it is free for me, who pays?
Platforms pay a fee for cases where the decision is in your favour, as Article 21 of the Digital Services Act requires. We cover the rest of it. The fee is the same whatever the outcome, and it is published before any case begins.
Doesn’t taking money from platforms compromise your independence?
Our fees are fixed and published in advance, so no case is worth more to us than another and no part of any fee depends on which way a decision goes. We do not choose who decides your case: appointments are made by the Dispute Appointment Service at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and case decision-makers are paid against a published schedule with no success element. No platform has funded our set-up, our operating costs or the establishment of our panel.
Do I need a lawyer?
No. You can start a dispute and send us everything we need online, without a lawyer. The process is built to be used by people representing themselves.
Can I claim compensation?
Rarely, and you should not bring a case expecting one. Where you can show actual financial loss, your case decision maker can advise that you are owed compensation up to 25,000 Euro, but that finding is not binding on the platform and getting paid would likely require going to court. Most decisions involve no money at all.
Can I claim my own costs back?
No. Our process costs you nothing, and it does not cover any costs you incur yourself, such as legal advice you choose to take.
Before you start
Frequently asked questions about the eligibility check, what information and evidence to gather, how long the form takes, file types and upload limits, and what to do if something is missing.
What do I need before I start?
For the eligibility check, nothing but your answers. For the full form, you will need links to the content, screenshots, the platform’s decision and any reference number they gave you, and the date you reported it. If something is missing, submit anyway and we will tell you what else we need.
How long does it take to fill in?
The eligibility check takes about two minutes. The full form takes about ten minutes after that.
What is the eligibility check?
It is a short set of questions about the platform, the content, and whether your case is already somewhere else. It tells you whether we can take your case before you spend time on the full form. If we cannot help, we will tell you at that point and point you somewhere that can.
Can I save the form and come back to it?
No. Currently, you need to submit the form in one go. Please have all your documents ready when you start filling the form.
What evidence should I include?
Anything that shows what was posted, what you reported, what harm was caused and what the platform decided. That usually means links, screenshots, the platform’s decision message and reference number, and any correspondence. A short description of what happened and why you think the platform got it wrong matters as much as the documents.
What file types can I upload, and how big?
You can upload up to five files, 10MB each. We accept PDF, JPEG, PNG, MP4 and DOCX.
What if I do not have screenshots?
Submit anyway. Screenshots make a case easier to decide, but they are not a condition of bringing one, and we will tell you what else we need once we have looked at your submission.
The content has been deleted. Does that matter?
It does not stop you bringing a case. Include whatever record you still have, such as screenshots, the platform’s decision message or your reference number. Your case decision-maker will decide the case on the evidence available.
How much detail do I need to give?
Enough for someone with no knowledge of your situation to understand what was posted, what you reported, what harm it caused you and why you think the platform got it wrong. You do not need to get it perfect, and you do not need legal language. Your case decision-maker will usually ask you to expand on anything they need.
What if writing about this is difficult for me?
Take your time, and stop if you need to. Some of what the form asks about is hard to write down, and you will not lose your place. If you are struggling, please talk to someone: your GP, a mental health service or a support helpline can all help.
Submitting your complaint
Common queries about confirmation emails, your case reference, and what you can change, add or withdraw once your complaint is with us.
Will I get confirmation that you have received it?
Yes. You will get an email straight away with your case reference number and next steps.
What is my case reference and why do I need it?
It is the number we use to identify your case. Quote it whenever you contact us, so we can find your file immediately rather than asking you to explain again.
Can I change my complaint after I have submitted it?
You can add anything that was missing, such as evidence, links or reference numbers. You cannot change the substance of what you have submitted, which means the platform, the nature of the complaint and the outcome you are asking for stay as they are. If those need to change, withdraw and submit a new complaint.
Can I withdraw my complaint?
Yes, at any point. Email us with your case reference number and tell us you want to withdraw. If you later submit the same complaint again, we may decline to take it unless you can tell us what has substantively changed since you withdrew.
I made a mistake on the form. What now?
Email us with your case reference and tell us what needs correcting. Your case decision-maker will usually ask you to correct or expand on anything anyway, so it is not a problem.
Can I add evidence after submitting?
Yes. Send it to us with your case reference. If your case decision-maker has already been appointed, send it to us rather than to them and we will pass it on.
What happens next
Answers to questions about how long each stage takes, who decides your case and how they are appointed, hearings, deadlines, extensions, and what happens if a platform does not respond.
How long until I hear back?
We will tell you within two working days whether we can accept your case. If we cannot, we will explain why in writing.
How long does the whole process take?
Most cases take around one to three months from the day you submit to the day you get a decision. Two things are fixed: a case decided without a hearing concludes within three months of your case decision-maker being appointed, and a case needing a hearing concludes within six months. Only the most complex cases fall outside that, and you will be told if yours is one of them.
Who decides my case?
A qualified lawyer with at least seven years of post-qualification experience and arbitration accreditation from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. They are not our employees, and they are not paid according to the outcome.
How is my case decision-maker chosen?
The Dispute Appointment Service at Ciarb selects them. We have no say in who is appointed to your case. Before taking the appointment they must confirm in writing that they are impartial, independent and free of any conflict of interest.
Will I have to attend a hearing?
In most cases, no. If your case does need one, your case decision-maker will explain what that involves.
Will I have to deal with the platform directly?
No. Everything passes through us. We manage the case from start to finish and handle everything that goes between you and the platform.
Will you keep me updated?
Yes. We contact you at each stage, so you will not need to chase us. We will also tell you when you move from one stage to the next.
What if I miss a deadline?
Tell us. We remind you before a deadline passes, and if you need more time you can ask. If a direction is ignored altogether, your case decision-maker can decide the case on the evidence they already have, or end it.
What if you cannot reach me?
We will close the case. That does not count against you, and you can bring the same complaint again later. Tell us straight away if your contact details change.
Can I contact my case decision-maker directly?
No. Send anything further to us and we will pass it on. Your case decision-maker has to be able to show that both sides are treated the same, and that includes how information reaches them.
What happens if the platform does not respond to you?
If a platform refuses to engage before it has accepted the case and signed the scheme agreement, we close the case, but we record it as a non-response and report it to Coimisiún na Meán as a failure to engage in good faith. Your case still counts towards holding that platform to account, even though it does not reach a decision.
Once a platform has accepted and signed, their lack of engagement no longer stops anything: your case decision-maker can decide on the evidence available, and we record the non-response in our public reporting either way.
Why was my case rejected after you accepted it?
Your case decision-maker checks admissibility independently, and can decline a case we have accepted. That is a deliberate second look, separate from ours. If they decide the case cannot proceed, you get the chance to prove otherwise before it closes, and you will be told why in writing.
Decisions and outcomes
Frequently asked questions about what a decision can direct a platform to do, whether it is legally binding, commenting on a preliminary decision, appeals, and what happens if a platform ignores the outcome.
What can IDR decide?
Your case decision-maker decides whether the platform’s decision was right, and why. Where they find the platform got it wrong, they can direct it to act, which might mean removing content, restricting who can see it, adding a label, restoring your content or account, removing a restriction or label, or restoring monetisation. They can also direct that a summary of the decision is published.
Is the decision legally binding?
No. Platforms are legally required to engage with our process, but they are not legally required to act on the outcome. Neither are you.
What happens if the platform ignores the decision?
We record it. After a decision is final we ask the platform what it has done, and we record whether it accepted the decision, refused it, proposed something else, or did not respond at all. That record is published and forms part of what we report to Coimisiún na Meán, and regulators can investigate and fine platforms that repeatedly break the rules.
Can I appeal?
No. Once the comment window on the preliminary decision closes, the decision is final and the case ends. There is no right of appeal against a case decision-maker’s decision, and we do not look at the same issues again.
Can I still go to court?
Yes. Your right to go to court is protected by Article 21 and is unaffected by bringing a case to us, before, during or after.
Will I be told why the decision was made?
Yes. Your case decision-maker sets out what they found and why, in writing. You get the reasoning at the preliminary stage, and again if anything changes after you comment on it.
What is a preliminary decision?
It is the decision in draft. Your case decision-maker sets out what they have found and why, and you and the platform receive it at the same time. It becomes final once the window for comments closes.
Can I comment on the decision before it becomes final?
Yes. You have seven working days to comment on the preliminary decision or ask for something to be changed. Your case decision-maker decides whether to make the change, and either way they tell you what they have decided and why.
Why might my case be stopped before a decision?
Most cases run to a decision. A case can be stopped early where a party ignores a direction, or where there is a problem with the claim itself, such as no reasonable basis for it, bad faith, or an issue so minor that the process would be out of all proportion to it. A case can also be stopped where it can only properly be resolved by a court. If your case is stopped, you will be told why in writing.
What does it mean if my case is struck out?
It means your case decision-maker has ended it without deciding the substance. The grounds are set out on our ‘How it work’s page, and you will always be told in writing which one applied.
What if the platform partly agrees?
That is recorded as it stands. When we ask what action the platform has taken, we record acceptance, refusal, an alternative proposal, or no response, and a partial response is recorded as what it is. It appears in our public reporting either way.
Will the decision be published?
We publish anonymised summaries of concluded cases, with anything removed that could identify you, the content, or anyone else involved. We tell you at the end of your case exactly what we intend to publish. Separately, your case decision-maker can direct the platform to publish a summary of the decision, in a form both sides agree.
If you are unhappy with us
Common questions about complaining to us about our service, who reviews those complaints independently, and what a reviewer can recommend.
What if I am unhappy with how you handled my case?
You can complain once your case has concluded, and ask for your complaint to be reviewed independently. This covers how we handled your case, not the decision itself.
A dedicated form is in development. Until it is live, please email your complaint to help@impressdisputeresolutions.org, quoting your case reference number.
Can I complain about the decision itself?
No. There is no right of appeal against a case decision-maker’s decision, and a service complaint reviews our process rather than the outcome. It is unlikely to change your decision.
Who reviews complaints about IDR?
The Service Complaint Reviewer, who is an independent consultant and not an employee or board member of Impress Dispute Resolutions. They can look at matters including conflicts of interest, impartiality and objectivity.
What can the reviewer do?
You and IDR both receive the findings in writing. If the Reviewer decides your complaint is justified, they can recommend that we apologise, take whatever steps they consider fair and reasonable, and pay reasonable compensation for damage, distress or inconvenience.
How long does a service complaint take?
Our Service Standards Policy sets out the timescales.
Your information
Answers to questions about how we use your personal information, what the platform sees, what we publish about concluded cases, how we anonymise it, and how long we keep your data.
What do you do with my personal information?
We use what you send us to run your case. Material you provide goes to your case decision-maker and, where relevant to the dispute, to the platform. We publish only anonymised summaries.
Will the platform see my details?
The platform sees the case material it needs to respond to. If you are worried about specific information reaching the platform, tell us when you submit and we will tell you what is possible.
Do you publish anything about my case?
We publish anonymised summaries of concluded cases, with anything removed that could identify you, the content, or anyone else involved. Where numbers in a category are too small for anonymisation to be reliable, we group or withhold the figures instead. We tell you at the end of your case what we intend to publish.
How long do you keep my information?
We tell you at the end of your case how long we keep your information and when we delete it.
How do you anonymise case summaries?
We remove anything that could identify you, the content in question, or anyone else involved. Where the number of cases in a category is too small for that to be reliable, we group the figures or withhold them rather than publish something that could identify an individual.
Is what I send you confidential?
Tell us if you consider material to be confidential. Your case decision-maker decides what stays confidential between the parties.
Can I ask you to delete my information?
Get in touch and tell us what you want deleted. Our data retention policy sets out what we keep, why, and for how long.
About IDR
Common questions about our certification under Article 21 of the Digital Services Act, who certified us and for what, our relationship to Impress, how we are funded, and where to find our case data.
Who are IDR?
Impress Dispute Resolutions is an out-of-court dispute settlement body certified under Article 21 of the EU Digital Services Act. We decide disputes about illegal content on social media and content sharing platforms, whether the content was removed or left up.
Who certified you, and for what?
Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland’s media and online safety regulator and the Digital Services Coordinator for Ireland. Our certification runs for five years, from 14 May 2026 to 14 May 2031. Article 21 allows a body to be certified for illegal content, for how platforms apply their own terms and conditions, or for both. We are certified for illegal content.
What is Article 21 of the Digital Services Act?
It gives people who use online platforms the right to choose a certified independent body to settle disputes about content decisions. Platforms are legally required to engage with that body. The outcome is not binding on either side, and nobody loses their right to go to court.
What is an out-of-court dispute settlement body?
It is an independent body that settles disputes without going to court. In our case, that means a qualified lawyer reviewing a platform’s decision about illegal content and issuing a written decision on whether it was right.
Are you a court?
No. Certification confirms that we meet the Article 21 conditions. It does not make us a court, and it does not make our decisions enforceable.
Are you the same as Impress?
No, but we are connected. Impress Dispute Resolutions is supported by Impress: The Independent Monitor for the Press CIC, the UK’s only press regulator recognised by the Press Recognition Panel. Impress has run dispute resolution between the public and media organisations since 2016, and IDR is built on that work.
How are you funded?
Platforms pay a fee for cases where the decision is against them, as Article 21 requires, and those fees are fixed and published before any case begins. Impress Dispute Resolutions was seeded out of Impress, a non-profit community interest, independent press regulator in the UK. No online platform has contributed to our set-up costs, our operating costs or the establishment of our panel.
Are you independent of the platforms?
Yes. No platform funds us, sits on our board, or has any role in selecting the people who decide cases. Our case decision-makers are appointed by the Dispute Appointment Service at Ciarb, not by us, and are paid against a published schedule with no success element.
What languages do you work in?
We currently work in English, which is one of the official languages of the EU institutions. If you cannot submit in English, get in touch and we will tell you what is possible.
Who are your case decision-makers and what are their qualifications?
Everyone is a qualified lawyer with a recognised legal qualification from Ireland at practising level, at least seven years of post-qualification experience, and arbitration accreditation from Ciarb. CIArb assesses every candidate before appointment, including their outside interests, and all of them complete our own training before taking cases. Between them, the panel covers every category of illegal content we are certified for.
How are you different from other dispute bodies?
We are independent of platform funding, and we do not choose who decides your case. Appointments are made by Ciarb’s Dispute Appointment Service, case decision-makers are paid against a published schedule with no success element, and our fees are fixed and published in advance. We also publish what platforms do with our decisions, by platform.
Where can I see your case data?
On our Transparency page. We have not published any case data yet: our first report covers the first twelve months and will be published in October 2027. You can ask to be told when it goes up.
Still have questions?
If your question is not answered here, get in touch and we will help. If you are ready to bring a case, the eligibility check takes about two minutes.