Google told Reuters it is preparing to launch an anti-misinformation campaign in five European Union countries ahead of EU parliamentary elections and tougher new rules for online content. EU citizens will elect a new European Parliament in June to pass the bloc’s policies and laws, but lawmakers fear the spread of misinformation online could sway voters.
France, Poland and Germany on Monday accused Russia of putting together an elaborate network of websites to spread pro-Russian propaganda. Europe’s digital services law, which comes into force this week, will require the very largest online platforms and search engines to do more to tackle illegal content and security risks.
Starting in March, Google’s internal Jigsaw division, which deals with threats to society, will run a series of animated ads on platforms like TikTok and YouTube in five EU countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Poland. Building on previous campaigns the company has tested in Germany and Central Europe, Jigsaw said this new project leverages the company’s local expertise in these regions to reach citizens of the countries with the highest numbers of voters in the EU. He said that this would be an opportunity to reach out to people.
The ad features so-called “pre-banking” technology, developed in collaboration with researchers at the University of Cambridge and the University of Bristol, to help viewers identify manipulative content before they encounter it. It is intended to be. Viewers who watch the ad on YouTube are asked to fill out a short multiple-choice survey designed to assess what they’ve learned about misinformation.
“We’ve spent far too much time on truly polarizing debates. Our democracy is at stake and the temperature is only going to get higher and higher.” Jigsaw Research Director said Beth Goldberg. “Prebanking is the only approach, at least that I’ve seen, that works equally well across the political spectrum,” Goldberg said.
She added that other measures to control misinformation, such as fact-checking, take place after the information has already spread, which can lead to further polarization. Last month, an investigation conducted by the European Union External Action Service (EEAS) found 750 cases of misleading information deliberately disseminated by foreign actors, many of which expressed support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The company says Jigsaw ads will be translated into all 24 official EU languages.
This campaign will run for at least one month, with consideration for extension based on reach and performance. Results of the campaign, including survey responses and number of people reached, are expected to be announced in summer 2024.
