Google has announced its decision to withdraw from the European Union’s voluntary Code of Practice on Disinformation. In a letter from the company’s President of Global Affairs, Kent Walker, addressed to European Commission representative Renate Nikolay, Google stated that it would cease its participation in the initiative before it transitions into a mandatory Code of Conduct under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The Code, developed prior to the enactment of the DSA in 2022, called for the voluntary integration of fact-checking tools into Google’s search algorithms and the YouTube platform. While it lacked legal enforceability, several tech giants, including Meta, Twitter (prior to Elon Musk’s acquisition), and Google, had initially joined the agreement. However, a study conducted by the European Fact-Checking Standards Network revealed that many companies failed to fulfill their commitments.
Meta had previously announced the discontinuation of its fact-checking efforts, and now Google is following suit, emphasizing that the company had never fully implemented such mechanisms within its services. This decision has drawn criticism, as voluntary participation in the Code was viewed as a crucial step in combating disinformation.
The situation is further complicated by the possibility that some elements of the Code may be incorporated into the DSA, making them legally binding. The response of major tech companies to these potential changes remains uncertain.
