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Major online platforms, emerging and specialised platforms, players in the advertising industry, fact-checkers, research and civil society organisations delivered a strengthened Code of Practice on Disinformation following the Commission’s Guidance of May 2021. Signatories committed to take action in several domains, such as; demonetising the dissemination of disinformation; ensuring the transparency of political advertising; empowering users; enhancing the cooperation with fact-checkers; and providing researchers with better access to data.

In January 2018, the European Commission created High Level Group (HLEG) of experts "to advise on policy initiatives to counter fake news and disinformation spread online". The multidisciplinary group consisted of 39 members and was chaired by Prof. Dr. Madeleine de Cock Buning. The report presented by the HLEG affirms that disinformation is a phenomenon that goes beyond the term "fake news", which was used misleadingly by different actors "to dismiss coverage that is simply found disagreeable." As defined in the report, disinformation "includes all forms of false, inaccurate, or misleading information designed, presented and promoted to intentionally cause public harm or for profit." The HLEG recommends a multi-dimensional approach to the problem of disinformation, consisting of five pillars: enhance transparency of...

The 2018 Elections Modernization Act amended the federal Elections Act to include several disinformation measures aimed at protecting electoral integrity, with a focus on political advertisement transparency. Notably, platforms must publish a registry of political advertising messages when selling advertising space to political entities during an election (Canada Elections Act, s. 325.1[2]). The registry must include a copy of the messages, and must specify who authorized the publication thereof (s. 325.1[3]). These requirements apply to online platforms publishing partisan advertising (in the 12 months before the first day of a pre-election period) or election advertising (in the 12 months before the first day of an election period) that are used or visited by a defined number of Internet users in Canada per month...

The Provisions on Ecological Governance of Network Information Content, as deliberated and adopted at the executive meeting of the Cyberspace Administration of China, are hereby issued and shall come into force on March 1, 2020. Director: Zhuang Rongwen December 15, 2019 Chapter I General Provisions Article 1 These Provisions are hereby developed in accordance with the State Security Law of the People's Republic of China, the Cybersecurity Law of the People's Republic of China, the Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services and other laws and administrative regulations for the purposes of creating a good network ecology, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of citizens, legal persons and other organizations, and safeguarding national security and public interests. Article 2 These...

Chapter I: General Provisions Article 1: In order to strengthen Internet information content management and stimulate the healthy and orderly development of Internet news information services, on the basis of the “Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China”, the “ Administrative Measures of Internet Information Services”, and the “Notice of the State Council on Charging the Cyberspace Administration of China with the Content Management of Information on the Internet”, these Regulations are formulated. Article 2: These Regulations apply to the provision of Internet news information services within the territory of the People’s Republic of China News information as mentioned in these Regulations includes reporting and comments on politics, economic, military matters, foreign affairs and other such social public...

Overview As of recently providers of social networks in Germany must comply with the so-called “Network Enforcement Act” formally known by the name “Act to Improve Enforcement of the Law in Social Networks” respectively “Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz”. The new law is meant to fight unlawful content on the internet, including hate speech, by addressing social networks and increasing their responsibilities. It requires social networks with more than 2 million registered users in Germany to set up a procedure ensuring that “manifestly unlawful” content is removed within 24 hours of a complaint and all other unlawful content is generally removed within seven days of a complaint. Breaches of this duty are considered a “regulatory offense” and may be sanctioned with regulatory fines of up to €50 million ($60 million). Beyond...