What the European Commission is expected to present later this week is an updated version of the code of conduct on misinformation for tech companies that was introduced in 2018. Platforms, advertisers and other actors have so far followed the code on a voluntary basis, but now tougher measures await from the EU.
The updated version places more detailed demands on tech companies and entails heavy fines for those who break the rules. The code of conduct is linked to the forthcoming digital services act (DSA) legal package, with fines of up to six percent of the company’s global sales.
According to the Financial Times, 30 players have signed the new regulations – including giants such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, Microsoft and Tiktok.
Fact examiner and transparency
The exact scope of the new code of conduct is not yet known. But some are about what tools the companies use to counter misinformation, writes the Financial Times. With the new rules, the companies undertake, among other things, to develop collaborations with independent fact-checkers. Content that has been reviewed must then be marked with “indicators of credibility”.
In addition, the EU wants companies to be more transparent. According to the regulations, they must, among other things, notify how many fake accounts are removed, which AI aids are used in the work and how many moderators review the content of the platforms. According to the regulations, the figures must be distributed country by country, something that has previously been opposed by the tech companies.