On June 16, 2022, the companies agreed to a corresponding code of conduct. If they fail to comply, they face penalties of up to six percent of their annual turnover. In total, more than 30 companies signed the new requirements - including TikTok and Amazon's e-sports platform Twitch, as the EU Commission announced.

On June 16, 2022, the Commission welcomed the publication of the strengthened code of conduct to combat disinformation . The 34 signatories - including platforms, technology companies and representatives of civil society - have followed the Commission's 2021 guidelines and also taken into account the lessons from the COVID-19 crisis and from Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. This enhanced Code builds on the first Code of Conduct in 2018 , which was widely recognized around the world as a groundbreaking framework. The new code sets out far-reaching and concrete commitments for platforms and the entire industry to combat disinformation and represents another important step towards a more transparent, safer and more trustworthy online environment.

Věra Jourová , Vice President for Values ​​and Transparency, said: “This new code against disinformation comes at a time when Russia is using disinformation as a weapon as part of its military aggression against Ukraine, but when we are also seeing attacks on democracy more broadly see senses. We now have significant commitments to curb the impact of online disinformation, and we have much more robust tools to determine how these commitments are implemented across the EU in all countries and in all their languages. Users will also have better tools to report disinformation and understand what they are seeing. The new code will also reduce the financial incentives for spreading disinformation and make it easier for researchers to access the platforms’ data.”

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton added: “Disinformation is a form of invasion of our digital space that has a noticeable impact on our daily lives. Online platforms need to take much more aggressive action against this, especially with regard to the issue of financing. Nobody should receive a single euro for spreading disinformation. To enhance its credibility, the new code of conduct is underpinned by the Digital Services Act, which also provides for strict and dissuasive sanctions. Very large platforms that repeatedly violate the Code and fail to take appropriate risk mitigation measures risk fines of up to 6% of their global revenue.”

Together with the recently approved Digital Services Act and upcoming legislation on transparency and political advertising targeting, the enhanced Code of Conduct is an essential part of the Commission's toolbox to combat the spread of disinformation in the EU.

The 34 signatories include major online platforms such as Meta, Google, Twitter, TikTok and Microsoft, as well as a wide range of other players, including smaller or specialized platforms, the online advertising industry, ad tech companies, fact-checkers and civil society representatives, as well other stakeholders who bring specific expertise and solutions to combat disinformation.

The improved Code aims to address the shortcomings of the previous Code. To this end, it contains stronger and more detailed commitments and measures that build on the operational insights of recent years.

Specifically, the new code contains the following obligations:

  • Wider participation : The Code applies not only to large platforms, but also to a wide range of different actors who play a role in curbing the spread of disinformation. Additional signatories are welcome;
  • Reducing financial incentives for the spread of disinformation by ensuring that advertising revenue does not go to those who spread disinformation;
  • Detecting new manipulative behaviors such as using fake accounts, bots or malicious deepfakes to spread disinformation;
  • Empowering users with better tools to more easily identify, understand and report disinformation;
  • Expand fact-checking in all EU countries and their languages, ensuring that fact-checkers are adequately compensated for their work;
  • Transparency in political advertising by allowing users to easily identify political advertising, thanks to better labeling and better information about sponsors, costs and distribution periods;
  • Better support for researchers by making it easier for them to access the platforms' data;
  • Assessing their own impact through a robust monitoring framework and regular reporting by platforms on how they are meeting their obligations;
  • Establishment of a Transparency Center and Task Force to provide a simple and transparent overview of the implementation of the Code and to ensure that the Code remains future-proof and fit for purpose.

In addition, the Code is intended to be recognized as a code of conduct under the Digital Services Act to mitigate the risks posed by disinformation on very large online platforms.

background

The 2018 Code of Conduct to Combat Disinformation brought together industry players to undertake voluntary commitments to combat disinformation. The code is at the heart of the EU strategy against disinformation and has proven to curb the spread of disinformation online - including ahead of upcoming elections - and to respond quickly to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine to react.

Following its assessment guidance on how the Code should be strengthened in May 2021 . In it, she called for the deficiencies in the 2018 code to be addressed and suggested solutions to make it even more effective.

The signatories to the 2018 Code and a wide range of potential signatories who participated in redrafting the commitments and actions have worked together to ensure that the improved Code is suitable to address the important new challenges that disinformation poses to our societies brings.

The revision process was accompanied - on behalf of the signatories - by Valdani, Vicari and Associates (VVA), an independent consultant, and Oreste Pollicino, professor of constitutional law at Bocconi University, as honest brokers.

Next Steps

The signatories now have six months to implement their commitments and the actions they have committed to. They will submit their first implementation reports to the Commission at the beginning of 2023.

Taking into account expert advice and support from the Group of European Regulators for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA) and the Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), the Commission will regularly assess progress in the implementation of the Code, using a detailed qualitative and quantitative assessment Reporting by the signatories.

The task force set up will monitor, review and adapt the obligations with a view to technical, social, market-related and legal developments. The task force has already held its kick-off meeting today. It will meet as needed, but at least every six months.

Further information

Single point of contact for the code of conduct to combat disinformation

Questions and answers about the strengthened code of conduct

Strengthened Code of Conduct of 2022

Code of Conduct 2018

Evaluation of the Code of Conduct

Commission guidelines for revising the Code of Conduct

Press release on the Digital Services Act

Code of Conduct policy page

List of signatories and commitments undertaken (continuously updated)

Source: European Commission

Related to the topic: Disinformation as a war tactic – how we protect ourselves from fake news


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