As with any other large-scale crisis, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is testing our collective strengths and exposing our weaknesses. Beyond the stress placed on our healthcare systems and our economies, the spread of this novel disease is also highlighting the spread of another social affliction, which so far remains unfettered, despite our best efforts: disinformation, or as it is more commonly known, fake news.

Anyone with access to a social media feed will confirm this: as concern grew around COVID-19, so did the deluge of disinformation. From fake remedies (some of which could be detrimental to one’s health) to wildly exaggerated figures on how many people had died as a result of the virus, our feeds are currently swamped with content that is misleading, unverified, and downright dangerous.

Despite the fact that most platforms are trying to crack down on the content spread through their channels, with posts being deleted, or searches leading directly to authoritative sources, it is clear that disinformation is winning this round. Ultimately, this is testing us and our behaviour online: are we able to truly distinguish between fact and fiction?

This is far from the first test to our personal and political capacity to control the spread of disinformation. The 2016 American presidential elections was a breeding ground of inaccurate content, intentionally spread to influence voters. Likewise, last year’s European Parliament elections were also plagued by misleading information on anything relating to the EU, with troll accounts and bots (automated social media accounts), manipulating the debate and creating an anti-EU sentiment among voters. Most content focused on divisive issues, such as the migrant crisis, and the EU’s response (or lack thereof).

While the direct link between these disinformation campaigns and voting trends may be tough to point out, the results of the election speak for themselves, with the highest number of far-right MEPs to land in Brussels to date. Similarly, the latest wave of disinformation has a distinctly racist tinge to it, and I am convinced there are far right groups who are riding on this pandemic to gain traction in the mainstream sphere.

The problem lies before us, but with little to no regulation of digital media platforms, the solutions seem distant, with us legislators failing to keep up the pace.

In 2018, the European Commission commissioned a report on disinformation, asking for recommendations on ways to combat the spread of disinformation. The report, penned by academics and media professionals, delved into the complexities of the issue, and accordingly, a complex, multi-dimensional approach was recommended. The measures included, among others, greater transparency of online portals and news, that is, a clearer image of how the portals’ algorithms decide which news reaches us and how. The report called on all stakeholders, including independent media, social media platforms, and content creators, to commit to a Code of Practice, a set of responsibilities and rules to shape the future of online news, which was ultimately adopted.

This self-regulatory approach, although endorsed by stakeholders, has had very little effect in practice. It is clear to me that if the EU truly wants to stem the flow of disinformation, then it is time for direct action, and it is high time we held tech giants accountable for their laissez-faire approach in this sector. While I look forward to the new Commission’s fulfilment of its promise to enact a ‘European Democracy Action Plan’, aimed at targeting disinformation, I believe that the upcoming Digital Services Act has the potential to make platforms more responsible for the content shared on their forum.

Disinformation is a very real threat to our democracies. Just as we are pulling out all the stops to fight our current health crisis, we must focus all our efforts to regulate the digital sphere to eradicate content which is taking our societies down a dark path.

 

Josianne Cutajar is an MEP