Under the newest version of a code of conduct originally established in 2018, nearly three dozen entities vowed to step up efforts to detect false claims, to label political advertising more transparently and to restrict advertising around disinformation, among other moves.
Demonetizing disinformation is the “cornerstone” of the new initiative, said Thierry Breton, a European commissioner and one of the EU’s top digital regulators.
Many of the biggest platforms signing onto Thursday’s agreement had already been operating under the older set of 21 commitments, which ranged from supporting fact-checking to scrutinizing ad placement.
In addition to the focus on cutting off ad revenue to disinformation-spreaders, the expanded voluntary agreement adds other new commitments designed to limit fake online accounts and bots, as well as artificial intelligence-based “deep fakes.”
The code will also be tied to enforcement of the EU’s Digital Services Act, the forthcoming law that establishes new obligations for Big Tech platforms’ content moderation in Europe. Companies that abide by the voluntary agreement may be less likely to be accused of violating the law, or potentially given more benefit of the doubt, according to the European Commission.
In a statement, European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová cited Russian disinformation as a major driver for the new code.