VOST Europe is pleased to announce its participation in the process that led to the publishing of the Strengthened Code of Practice on Disinformation (CoP), a collaborative effort aimed at combating online disinformation across Europe. As part of this initiative, VOST Europe will lead the Crisis Response Subgroup within the Permanent Task Force of the CoP, contributing to the overall coordination of rapid responses during crises.
About the Strengthened Code of Practice on Disinformation
The Strengthened Code of Practice on Disinformation, launched on 16 June 2022, builds on the original 2018 Code and incorporates the European Commission’s guidance from May 2021. The Code is a self-regulatory framework, bringing together diverse stakeholders, including major online platforms, advertisers, fact-checkers, and civil society organisations. The aim is to tackle disinformation by fostering greater transparency, improving fact-checking capabilities, and ensuring better data access for researchers.
The Code outlines 44 commitments and 128 specific measures across key areas, including:
– Demonetising disinformation by cutting financial incentives for those spreading false content.
– Transparency in political advertising, allowing users to better recognise political ads and their sponsors.
– Service integrity by addressing manipulative behaviours such as bots, fake accounts, and malicious deep fakes.
– User empowerment through tools that help identify and report disinformation.
– Support for researchers and fact-checkers with enhanced access to platform data.
VOST Europe’s Role in the Crisis Response Subgroup
As the chair of the Crisis Response Subgroup within the Permanent Task Force of the CoP, VOST Europe will help coordinate efforts between various stakeholders to ensure a rapid and effective response during critical moments such as natural disasters, elections, or other high-risk events. The subgroup will focus on:
– Facilitating cooperation among online platforms, fact-checkers, civil society, and other relevant actors to tackle disinformation during crises.
– Developing rapid response systems that are operational during emergencies, ensuring real-time action to mitigate the spread of false information.
– Adapting strategies to manage disinformation during events where there is a heightened risk, such as elections or global emergencies.
Moving Forward
The Permanent Task Force of the Code, which meets regularly, plays a key role in keeping the commitments relevant and effective as new challenges arise. VOST Europe’s involvement in the Task Force and Crisis Response Subgroup is part of a broader effort to ensure that the Code remains adaptive to changing digital environments and societal needs.
This work, along with the contributions of the other signatories, will support more robust responses to disinformation threats and contribute to maintaining the integrity of information in the EU, especially in times of crisis.