Internet information platforms should fight misinformations more effectively

Internet information platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or Google should fight the dissemination of misinformation more effectively. In a new series of recommendations, the European Commission calls on companies to, among other things, limit the publication of disinformation advertising or better enable people to recognize intentionally manipulative posts. Companies should also act more effectively against the automatic dissemination of misinformation or the creation of false accounts. Facebook and Twitter responded that they supported a more proactive approach. Already in 2018, large Internet companies voluntarily joined the code, which contains rules for combating misinformation. For example, they have pledged to guarantee the transparency of political advertising and to take action against false and automated accounts. On Wednesday, the Commission recommended the recommendations of this Code to reflect the rapid development of the dissemination of false information, especially during the covid pandemic. The EC would like to achieve a wider involvement of companies, especially the largest of which are taking active steps within the Code. Brussels considers these to be positive, but not entirely sufficient. "I speak with the platform because they are part of the problem and must be part of the solution. They tell me that they do not want to be a highway for harmful content, "said EC Vice-President Věra Jourová, who presented the recommendations. For example, platforms should exchange information about advertisements that some of them have refused to publish due to disinformation content. The aim is for their contracting authorities to fail on other networks as well. Companies aimed at selling advertising should also work together to reduce advertising that helps to spread false information. "Disinformation should not be a source of income," said Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton. According to the code, platforms should also, within their algorithms, make it easier for users to recognize false information and be able to point it out themselves. At the same time, however, it must pay attention to freedom of expression and enable effective defense of people whose contributions would be wrongly labeled as misinformation. The Code also requires companies to more consistently detect the spread of misinformation through automatic "bots", fake or stolen accounts, or organized campaigns. "We support the commission in its focus on greater transparency for users and better collaboration between platforms and within the advertising ecosystem," Facebook said in response to Wednesday's proposal. The Commission wants as many companies as possible to sign up to the voluntary code. At the end of last year, the EU executive also published a draft binding standard on digital services, which stipulates the responsibility of platforms for the content of published contributions. The specific parameters of the new regulation will be negotiated by the Member States with the European Parliament this year.