Twitter Leaves EU Voluntary Code of Practice Against Disinformation: But Obligations Remain
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Article: Twitter cannot run away from its obligations even after quitting a voluntary EU code of practice to tackle disinformation, EU industry chief Thierry Breton warned the company late on Friday. Companies which signed up to the code are required to provide regular progress reports with data on how much advertising revenue they had averted from disinformation actors. They also have to provide information on the number or value of political advertisements accepted or rejected and instances of manipulative behaviours detected.
"Twitter leaves EU voluntary code of practice against disinformation. But obligations remain. You can run but you can't hide," Breton said in a tweet. "Beyond voluntary commitments, fighting disinformation will be legal obligation under DSA as of August 25. Our teams will be ready for enforcement."
Since Twitter was acquired by billionaire Elon Musk for $44 billion last October, the company has cut thousands of jobs and made numerous changes. The Digital Services Act (DSA) obliges Twitter, Google, Meta Platforms Inc, Microsoft Corp, Alibaba's AliExpress and five other large online platforms to do more to tackle illegal online content. Companies face fines of as much as 6% of their global turnover for violations. Twitter, which no longer has a public relations department, responded to an emailed request for comment with a poop emoji.
The code of practice is part of the European Commission's efforts to tackle disinformation and fake news, which have been increasingly spread online. It requires companies to take measures such as setting up a rapid alert system to identify and remove illegal content, and to keep track of the number of political advertisements accepted or rejected.
The code of practice was signed by Twitter, Google, Microsoft, Mozilla, Facebook, and several other major online platforms. Companies that have signed the code are required to provide regular progress reports with data on how much advertising revenue they have averted from disinformation actors. This information is then used by the European Commission to assess the effectiveness of the code and to identify areas for improvement.
The code of practice is a voluntary agreement and does not carry any legal force. However, the European Commission has warned companies that failure to comply with the code could lead to sanctions. Twitter's decision to quit the code of practice has been met with criticism from the European Commission, as it could potentially weaken the effectiveness of the code.
Twitter's decision to quit the code of practice has highlighted the need for stronger regulation of online platforms. The Digital Services Act, which is due to come into force in August, will introduce stricter rules for online platforms, including a requirement for companies to provide regular reports on how much advertising revenue they have averted from disinformation actors.
The Digital Services Act will also introduce a new system of fines for companies that fail to comply with the rules. This could potentially have a significant impact on companies such as Twitter, which rely heavily on advertising revenue.
Twitter's decision to quit the code of practice has also raised questions about the effectiveness of voluntary codes of practice. While voluntary codes of practice can be effective in some cases, they often lack the necessary enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance. This means that companies can often get away with not following the rules, which can undermine the effectiveness of the code.
Ultimately, the decision to quit the code of practice highlights the need for stronger regulation of online platforms. The Digital Services Act is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done to ensure that companies such as Twitter comply with the rules. The European Commission must ensure that companies are held accountable for their actions, and that the rules are enforced effectively.
