New code of conduct against disinformation will force greater transparency in political advertisements in the European Union
Up to 34 technology companies have signed the new version of the code of conduct to fight disinformation in the EU, which updates what was established in 2018. The list includes Meta, Twitter and TikTok, although neither Apple nor Telegram appear on the list despite their role in the dissemination of false information about the war in Ukraine. The new text includes 44 specific commitments and is already subject to the Digital Services Directive, approved in April of this year, which means that companies that do not comply with what has been agreed can be exposed to heavy sanctions. One of the key aspects it touches on is the expected transparency of political advertising campaigns.
In particular, the signatories have committed to create specific repositories where campaigns can be searched and also that each campaign will include more information on how much it has cost and for how long it has been running. This is already done by Meta and Google, but the legal underpinning of the recently passed Digital Services Directive for code will in principle push more platforms to create protocols for this. Those who do not face problems because of this are Twitter, LinkedIn and Twitch, which have not accepted this kind of planning for some time.
The new text replaces the one adopted in 2018 and incorporates “lessons” learned during the coronavirus crisis and also in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Commercial advertising also takes centre stage in the new code because companies are obliged to avoid placing advertising next to disinformative content or sources that repeatedly violate these regulations. This measure increases brand safety for advertisers and restricts the ability of sites focused on spreading fake news to monetise that work.
To increase capabilities to combat this phenomenon, platforms will need to develop closer relationships with independent verifiers to confirm the legitimate origin of different news sources, as well as give researchers more and better access to the data they generate. They will also need to offer users the ability to flag disinformative content and ensure they have access to authoritative sources in relation to what they are reading.
Another key commitment is the reduction of botnets and fake accounts that are used to spread disinformation. Such tactics are part of the hybrid and non-linear warfare doctrine developed years ago by the current Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, and have been seen in action during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Vera Jourová, the European Commission’s Vice-President for Values and Transparency, spoke of this armed conflict as a key context for disinformation at the launch of the new code, noting that it includes “lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and Russia’s aggression in Ukraine”.
