Disinformation on digital platforms

Users frequently encounter misinformation and disinformation on social networks and large digital platforms. Even though platform operators sometimes take far-reaching measures to deal with this phenomenon, manipulative, misleading and false content on YouTube, Instagram or TikTok remains a problem. Especially since automated recommendation systems may help disinformation go viral.

In combating misinformation and disinformation, it is therefore of immense importance to closely monitor the measures that platforms take against it. And to check what impact these measures have on the use of the platforms.

Code of Practice on Disinformation

For this reason, the EU Commission published the Code of Practice on Disinformation in 2018 together with stakeholders and experts. It contains recommendations for online platforms and advertisers on how to combat disinformation. It has been signed by several major online platforms, including Facebook, Google and Twitter. In 2022, the Code was revised to include detailed obligations on how platforms must tackle disinformation and what information they must provide to the public in this context. The full text of the Code of Practice can be found here. 

It is GADMO’s task to monitor compliance with the Code in Germany and Austria. For this purpose, GADMO is first developing a framework, which is expected to be published in April 2023. The framework describes the guidelines on how exactly compliance with the Code is to be reviewed. The framework will be used to produce annual reports that will be publicly available. The first report is expected to be published in late 2023.