The European Commission has approved new guidelines aimed at large online platforms in the EU to address risks to elections and misinformation, as part of the Digital Services Act. These guidelines cover measures to tackle election-related risks, harmful AI content, and misleading political advertising, with specific focus on the upcoming EU elections. While the guidelines are not legally binding, non-compliant platforms could face fines of up to 6% of global turnover. This move is part of a broader effort by the EU to push for more robust measures to uphold democratic values in the tech industry, particularly in light of threats posed by generative AI and deepfake content. Platforms will be required to identify and respond to high-risk situations promptly, in collaboration with authorities, experts, and civil society organizations.
One of the key concerns addressed by the guidelines is the use of recommender systems to prioritize content with viral potential, potentially spreading harmful or misleading information. Platforms are expected to design these systems in a way that allows users to have more control over their feeds and make informed choices. The adoption of these guidelines comes at a critical time, ahead of the June elections to the European Parliament, prompting platforms such as Google, Meta, and TikTok to implement election centers to combat misinformation. The Commission will test these rules with relevant platforms and stress the need for resources to ensure effective moderation of content in multiple languages to protect the integrity of the elections.
With 370 million eligible voters across 27 member states set to participate in the EU elections, the linguistic complexity presents a significant challenge for platforms in moderating content effectively. Platforms like X face limitations in language-specific content moderation, with gaps in coverage for several EU official languages. The Commission recognizes these vulnerabilities and the need for robust safeguards to address potential threats to the democratic process. The adoption of these guidelines aligns with a broader global trend of increasing focus on regulating online platforms to protect democratic processes and combat misinformation.
The guidelines mark a strategic effort by the EU to push back against self-regulation in the tech industry and hold platforms more accountable for their role in shaping public discourse and electoral processes. Platforms are urged to take proactive measures to identify and mitigate risks related to elections, harmful AI content, and misleading political advertising. This signifies a shift towards a more proactive approach by the EU to address emerging threats posed by advanced technologies like deepfakes and divisive content. The Commission aims to work closely with platforms, authorities, experts, and civil society organizations to address these challenges and uphold democratic values.
As the largest election year in history approaches, with over 2 billion voters set to participate globally, the EU’s move to introduce guidelines for large online platforms may serve as a model for similar regulations worldwide. The complexity of linguistic challenges in the EU elections underscores the need for platforms to invest in resources and tools to address content moderation effectively. While the costs of compliance with the Digital Services Act may be significant, the benefits of maintaining the integrity of democratic processes and combating misinformation are substantial. Platforms are encouraged to consider extending similar safeguards globally to promote transparency and protect democratic values in the digital age.
