The European Commission has published several reports on actions taken by the signatories of the fake news code of conduct to fight false and misleading coronavirus-related information.
The reports continue to give a good overview of actions taken by the online platforms during the month of September, and demonstrate willingness to provide increased transparency around their policies on coronavirus disinformation.
However, the reporting still lacks appropriate granularity in data, including on the impact of their policies, to ensure sufficient transparency and public accountability and enable consistent monitoring.
Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency, said: “With the second wave of the pandemic, we must work together to limit the spread of coronavirus disinformation online. I am glad to see that the platforms have taken useful actions. Despite these efforts, harmful content is still present in the public space and poses risk to the citizens. “Platforms must step up their efforts to become more transparent and accountable. We need a better framework to help them do the right thing.”
Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal Market, added: “Viral spreading of disinformation related to the pandemic puts our citizens’ health and safety at risk. We need even stronger collaboration with online platforms in the coming weeks to fight disinformation effectively.”
This monthly reporting programme is a deliverable under the 10 June 2020 communication to ensure accountability towards the public of the efforts made by platforms and relevant industry associations to limit online disinformation related to coronavirus.
