Google Rejects EU’s Call For Fact-Checking In Search & YouTube via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Google has reportedly told the EU it won’t adhd fact-checking to hunt results oregon YouTube videos, nor volition it usage fact-checks to power rankings oregon region content.

This determination defies caller EU rules aimed astatine tackling disinformation.

Google Says No to EU’s Disinformation Code

In a missive to Renate Nikolay of the European Commission, Google’s planetary affairs president, Kent Walker, said fact-checking “isn’t due oregon effective” for Google’s services.

The EU’s updated Disinformation Code, portion of the Digital Services Act (DSA), would necessitate platforms to see fact-checks alongside hunt results and YouTube videos and to cook them into their ranking systems.

Walker argued Google’s existent moderation tools—like SynthID watermarking and AI disclosures connected YouTube—are already effective.

He pointed to past year’s elections arsenic impervious Google tin negociate misinformation without fact-checking.

Google besides confirmed it plans to afloat exit each fact-checking commitments successful the EU’s voluntary Disinformation Code earlier it becomes mandatory nether the DSA.

Context: Major Elections Ahead

This refusal from Google comes up of respective cardinal European elections, including:

• Germany’s Federal Election (Feb. 23)
• Romania’s Presidential Election (May 4)
• Poland’s Presidential Election (May 18)
• Czech Republic’s Parliamentary Elections (Sept.)
• Norway’s Parliamentary Elections (Sept. 8)

These elections volition apt trial however good tech platforms grip misinformation without stricter rules.

Tech Giants Backing Away from Fact-Checking

Google’s determination follows a larger inclination successful the industry.

Last week, Meta announced it would extremity its fact-checking programme connected Facebook, Instagram, and Threads and displacement to a crowdsourced exemplary similar X’s (formerly Twitter) Community Notes.

Elon Musk has drastically reduced moderation efforts connected X since buying the level successful 2022.

What It Means

As platforms similar Google and Meta determination distant from progressive fact-checking, concerns are increasing astir however misinformation volition spread—especially during elections.

While tech companies accidental transparency tools and user-driven features are enough, critics reason they’re not doing capable to combat disinformation.

Google’s pushback signals a increasing disagreement betwixt regulators and platforms implicit however to negociate harmful content.

Featured Image: Wasan Tita/Shutterstock

SEJ STAFF Matt G. Southern Senior News Writer astatine Search Engine Journal

Matt G. Southern, Senior News Writer, has been with Search Engine Journal since 2013. With a bachelor’s grade successful communications, ...