Statement:

Polis Analysis is pleased to hear that the European Commission (EC) has opened formal proceedings against Meta under the Digital Services Act (DSA).

The EC alleges that Meta has:[1]

• Failed to address “dissemination of deceptive advertisements, disinformation campaigns and coordinated inauthentic behaviour”

• Illegally “demote[d] political content in the recommender systems” of Facebook and Instagram

• Failed to provide “an effective third-party real-time civic discourse and election-monitoring tool” ahead of upcoming European Parliamentary elections

• Failed to provide an “easy to access and user-friendly” mechanism to flag illegal content

  
  

Developing technology has meant modern platforms and search engines face a host of rising challenges:

• Deepfake videos have seen a 550% increase from 2019-2023[2]

• There has been “unprecedented surge” of propaganda and disinformation since the Russian invasion of Ukraine[3]

• “Misinformation and disinformation” is projected by the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) to be the most severe global risk over the next two years, and the fifth most severe global risk over ten[4]

• Trust in mass media sits at a historic low, with people seeking alternative sources of information[5]

However, as the EC’s proceedings show, Big Tech has chosen to ignore their civic responsibilities to ensure online safety until they are legally compelled to do so. Meanwhile, as long as the UK remains without strong anti-disinformation legislation, companies such as Meta will continue to provide inadequate solutions to one of the world’s biggest challenges.

While the DSA allows the EU to protect its democratic institutions now, the Online Safety Act (OSA) has chosen instead to allow Ofcom until at least November 2025 to provide a report into appropriate responses to misinformation and disinformation.[6]

Polis Analysis strives to help individuals navigate the political world through impartial, fact-based and accessible analysis. In a year where approximately four billion individuals are expected to vote, we call on both Meta and the UK Government to urgently take the threat of disinformation seriously and implement appropriate provisions to ensure the safety of their online communities.

References:

[1]    https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_2373

[2]  https://www.homesecurityheroes.com/state-of-deepfakes/

[3]   https://issuu.com/russiaprogram/docs/russia_program_journal_no.3

[4]   https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2024/

[5]   https://news.gallup.com/poll/512861/media-confidence-matches-2016-record-low.aspx

[6] https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/enactedhttps://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/enacted