- Wednesday, October 16, 2024
LONDON (AP) - The problem of fake news continues to persist, with social media platforms playing a significant role in its dissemination. European Union official, Věra Jourová, highlighted the issue and called upon Elon Musk, the owner of X (previously known as Twitter), to adhere to the laws implemented by the EU to combat disinformation. However, it is not only X that needs to address this problem. Alphabet (including Google), TikTok, Microsoft, and Facebook (including Instagram and Threads parent Meta) also have a responsibility to tackle the spread of fake news, particularly coming from Russia.
Jourová emphasized how Moscow's disinformation campaign has become a potent weapon for mass manipulation, targeting not only Russians but also Europeans and the global population. As several elections are scheduled in countries like Slovakia and Poland in the upcoming weeks, followed by a blocwide vote next year, it becomes crucial for major online platforms to address the risks associated with online meddling.
According to Jourová, the design features of these platforms can be exploited by the Kremlin and other malicious actors for manipulation purposes. Therefore, measures need to be taken to counteract their influence.
Jourová provided an update on the EU's 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation, which serves as a guideline for major tech companies. While Google, TikTok, Microsoft, and Facebook (including Instagram parent Meta) voluntarily joined the code last year, Twitter decided to withdraw from the initiative after being acquired by Elon Musk. It is worth noting that X has been identified as the platform with the highest ratio of mis- or disinformation posts.
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Study Reveals Twitter's Prevalence of Disinformation
An inquiry by the European Commission has shed light on the issue of disinformation on social media platforms. The study focused on six online platforms in Poland, Slovakia, and Spain, and identified Twitter as having the highest prevalence of disinformation and the largest number of disinformation actors. According to the report, Twitter stands out for its high discoverability of disinformation.
The release of this study has implications for Twitter, even though the platform recently withdrew from a code aimed at combating disinformation. European Commissioner Věra Jourová cautioned Elon Musk, emphasizing that his company cannot evade responsibility solely because it dropped out of the code. The code has been integrated into the Digital Services Act, which enforces strict regulations on major online platforms, including X. These platforms will now face the highest level of scrutiny.
Twitter is now bound by the Digital Services Act and must comply with the legal obligations outlined within it. Commissioner Jourová made it clear that they will be closely monitoring Twitter's actions and expects unquestionable compliance.
Under the code, online platforms agreed to adopt measures to counter disinformation and are required to file regular reports. In line with this commitment, the platforms have submitted baseline reports, and their six-month progress reports were released on Tuesday.
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