Companies like Google and Facebook are voluntarily taking action against “fake news”.
As the Aargauer and Westdeutsche Zeitung report, Google, Facebook and other tech companies are developing a code of conduct to curb fake news.
In a press release, the European Commission said:
Statement by Commissioner Gabriel on the code of conduct on online disinformation
Brussels, September 26, 2018
Online platforms and the advertising industry have unveiled a self-regulatory code of conduct that includes a wide range of commitments to combat online disinformation.
Digital Economy and Society Commissioner Mariya Gabriel welcomed this as a step in the right direction, but called on platforms to step up their efforts to combat the spread of disinformation online:
“ The code of conduct presented today by industry is the first tangible result of the communication adopted by the Commission last April.
It is an important step towards addressing a problem that is pervasive and threatens Europeans' trust in democratic processes and institutions. This is the first time that the industry has voluntarily agreed on a set of self-regulatory standards to combat disinformation globally. It commits to a wide range of actions, from transparency in political advertising to closing bogus accounts and demonetizing purveyors of disinformation, and we welcome that.
The Code of Conduct should contribute to a transparent, fair and trustworthy online campaign in the run-up to the European elections in spring 2019, while fully respecting Europe's fundamental principles of freedom of expression, a free press and pluralism. This step complements the Commission's recommendation on electoral cooperation networks, online transparency, protection against cybersecurity incidents and combating disinformation campaigns, presented Juncker Online platforms must act as responsible social actors, especially in this crucial phase before the elections. They must do what they can to stop the spread of disinformation.
I call on online platforms and the advertising industry to immediately start implementing the measures agreed in the Code of Conduct in order to achieve significant progress and measurable results in the coming months. I also expect more and more online platforms, advertising companies and advertisers to follow the Code of Conduct and I encourage everyone to do their utmost to implement their commitments to combat disinformation.
I will be meeting the signatories of the Code of Conduct in the coming weeks to discuss the specific procedures and actions they are taking to make the Code a reality.
As foreseen in the Communication, the Commission will closely monitor the progress made and analyze the first results of the Code of Conduct by the end of 2018. If the results prove unsatisfactory, the Commission may propose further measures, including regulatory ones.”
background
In May, the Commission convened a multi-stakeholder forum on disinformation. It consisted of a working group made up of representatives from major online platforms and the advertising industry; and a 'sounding board' of fact checkers, academics, media and civil society organizations. The working group was tasked with developing a self-regulatory code of conduct for online platforms, the advertising sector and advertisers. The 'Resonance Board' had the task of drawing up and adopting a statement on the code of conduct and monitoring it.
The signatories of the code have committed to taking action in five areas:
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- Disrupting advertising revenue from certain accounts and websites that spread disinformation;
- Make political and issue-based advertising more transparent;
- Dealing with the topic of fake accounts and online bots;
- Encouraging consumers to report disinformation and access diverse news sources while increasing the visibility and discoverability of authoritative content;
- Strengthening the research community for monitoring online disinformation through data protection-compliant access to the platforms' data.
In the Communication published on April 26, 2018, the European Commission presented an action plan and self-regulatory tools to combat the spread and impact of online disinformation in Europe.
The measures provided for in the Communication, including this Code of Conduct, will help protect free and fair electoral processes emphasized 2018 State of the Union address They will complement the ongoing work of the EAD's East StratCom Task Force . Following the conclusions of the June 2018 European Council and the State of the Union Address, the Commission and the European External Action Service will present a joint action plan to combat disinformation by the end of the year, with a focus on strategic communications policy.
Preview image: brovkin / Shutterstock
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Notes:
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