Security News > 2023 > September > Big Tech has failed to police Russian disinformation, EC study concludes

The power of the EU's Digital Services Act to actually police the world's very large online platforms has been tested in a new study focused on Russian social media disinformation.

The independent study of the DSA's risk management framework published by the EU's executive arm, the European Commission, concluded that commitments by social media platforms to mitigate the reach and influence of global online disinformation campaigns have been generally unsuccessful.

The reach of Kremlin-sponsored disinformation has only increased since the major platforms all signed a voluntary Code of Practice on Disinformation in mid-2022.

Under the DSA, VLOPs are also required "To tackle the spread of illegal content, online disinformation and other societal risks," such as, say, the massive disinformation campaign being waged by the Kremlin since Putin decided to invade Ukraine last year.

"The Kremlin's ongoing disinformation campaign causes risks to public security, fundamental rights and electoral processes inside the European Union," the study concluded, meaning it triggered the need for a VLOP response dictated by Articles 34 and 35 of the DSA. That response was piecemeal at best.

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News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2023/09/05/big_tech_vlops/