The European Union is beefing up its code of practice on disinformation by enlisting more tech companies beyond Google, Twitter and Facebook parent Meta and adding measures to prevent online purveyors of fake news from profiting.
The EU's executive Commission unveiled an update on Thursday to its four-year-old voluntary code that, together with sweeping new rules in the pipeline for digital companies, will step up its efforts to fight the spread of false information in the 27-member bloc. EU leaders are alarmed about disinformation flourishing on online platforms, notably involving the COVID-19 pandemic and Russian propaganda amid the war in Ukraine. The code shows Europe's efforts to take a global lead in clamping down on fake news, while officials in the US have done little to curb its spread.
Disinformation "is a growing problem in the EU, and we really have to take stronger measures", Commission Vice President Vera Jourova told reporters in Brussels.