The independent experts are advocating a Code of Principles that online platforms and social networks should commit to.
The report complements the first insights from a public consultation and Eurobarometer survey also published earlier this week.
These contributions are hoped to feed into the preparation of a Communication on tackling disinformation online, that the Commission will publish in spring.
Commissioner Gabriel said: “Thanks to the High-Level Expert Group and to Professor Madeleine de Cock Buning for the great work in steering the group to meet the tight deadlines. With all the opinions gathered and the extensive collective expertise, we now have at our disposal a wide array of material that will help us put forward a number of tangible options to better address the risks posed by disinformation spread online.”
Chair of the High-Level Expert Group, Professor Madeleine de Cock Buning, said: “I am very pleased with our results, especially the commitment of all stakeholders, including online platforms, on the steps we advise the Commission to take. It is a great leap forward on the issue of the spread of disinformation: we have created a robust starting point for a Code of Practices, supported by a multi-stakeholder Coalition.”
The report from the High-Level Expert Group focusses specifically on problems associated with disinformation online rather than fake news. The experts deliberately avoided the term ‘fake news’, saying it is inadequate to capture the complex problems of disinformation that also involves content which blends fabricated information with facts.
The report defines disinformation as false, inaccurate, or misleading information designed, presented and promoted for profit or to intentionally cause public harm. This can threaten democratic processes, values and can specifically target a variety of sectors, such as health, science, education and finance. The report underlines the need to involve all relevant parties in any possible action, recommending first and foremost a self-regulatory approach.
The group recommends promoting media literacy to counter disinformation; developing tools for empowering users and journalists to tackle disinformation; safeguarding the diversity and sustainability of the European news media; continuing research on the impact of disinformation in Europe.
According to the latest Eurobarometer survey (around 26,000 citizens interviewed), people perceive that there is a lot of fake news across the EU with 83 percent of respondents saying that this phenomenon represents a danger to democracy. It emphasises also the importance of quality media: respondents perceive traditional media as the most trusted source of news (radio 70 percent, TV 66 percent, print 63 percent). Online sources of news and video hosting websites are the least trusted sources of news with a trust rate of 26 percent and 27 percent, respectively.
According to the public consultation, the overall perception is that the spread of disinformation via social media is made easy because fake news appeals to readers’ emotions (88 percent), are disseminated to orient the public debate (84 percent) and are conceived to generate revenues (65 percent). Half of the respondents believe that fact-checking after the disinformation has been published is not a solution as it will not reach the people that saw the initial information.