Google to launch anti-disinformation campaign ahead of EU elections
Illustrative photo (Unsplash.com)
In anticipation of the upcoming parliamentary elections and the reinforcement of new online content regulations, Google is gearing up to launch a campaign combating misinformation across five European Union nations, according to Reuters.
Citizens of the EU will be electing a new European Parliament in June, which will shape policies and laws within the region. Legislators are concerned that the spread of misinformation on the internet could sway voters.
On Monday, February 12, France, Poland, and Germany accused Russia of orchestrating a complex network of websites to disseminate pro-Russian propaganda.
The European Digital Services Act, coming into effect this week, will require major online platforms and search engines to put forth more effort in combating illegal content and risks to public safety.
Starting this spring, Google's internal unit Jigsaw, dedicated to combating societal threats, will launch a series of animated advertisements on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube across five EU countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland.
Building upon previous campaigns tested in Germany and Central Europe, Jigsaw stated that the new project presents an opportunity to engage citizens in countries with the highest number of voters in the EU, leveraging the company's local expertise in these regions.
The advertisements will utilize so-called "prebunking" methods, developed in partnership with researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of Bristol, aimed at helping viewers identify manipulative content before encountering it.
Russian propaganda
Reports surfaced in the autumn that Russia continues to conduct propaganda among Ukrainians remaining in occupied territories.
It was later revealed that occupiers are establishing a system of "lecturers" to "reformat the minds" of the population in the temporarily occupied Luhansk region of Ukraine.
Recently, Russia once again resorted to its usual tactics - spreading fake news. This time, it's alleging that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy purportedly purchased a villa belonging to Reich Minister Joseph Goebbels.
