Several big tech platforms have signed up to the EU’s new Code of Practice on Disinformation. 

The European Commission has set out a number of new commitments by technology platforms and the broader industry to better fight disinformation online.

“This new anti-disinformation Code comes at a time when Russia is weaponising disinformation as part of its military aggression against Ukraine, but also when we see attacks on democracy more broadly,” says Věra Jourová, the commission’s Vice-President for Values and Transparency. 

“We now have very significant commitments to reduce the impact of disinformation online and much more robust tools to measure how these are implemented across the EU in all countries and in all its languages. 

“Users will also have better tools to flag disinformation and understand what they are seeing. 

“The new Code will also reduce financial incentives for disseminating disinformation and allow researchers to access to platforms' data more easily.”

The new code already has 34 signatories including major online platforms, notably Meta, Google, Twitter, TikTok, and Microsoft, as well as a variety of other players like smaller or specialised platforms, the online ad industry, ad-tech companies, fact-checkers, civil society or that offer specific expertise and solutions to fight disinformation.

The new code contains commitments to:

  • Broaden participation: the Code is not just for big platforms, but also involves a variety of diverse players with a role in mitigating the spread of disinformation, and more signatories are welcome to join

  • Cut financial incentives for spreading disinformation by ensuring that purveyors of disinformation do not benefit from advertising revenues

  • Cover new manipulative behaviours such as fake accounts, bots or malicious deep fakes spreading disinformation

  • Empower users with better tools to recognise, understand and flag disinformation

  • Expand fact-checking in all EU countries and all its languages, while making sure fact-checkers are fairly rewarded for their work

  • Ensure transparent political advertising by allowing users to easily recognise political ads thanks to better labelling and information on sponsors, spend and display period

  • Better support researchers by giving them better access to platforms' data

  • Evaluate its own impact through a strong monitoring framework and regular reporting from platforms on how they're implementing their commitments

  • Set up a Transparency Centre and Task Force for an easy and transparent overview of the implementation of the Code, keeping it future-proof and fit for purpose

The new code is accessible here.