EU Statement – UN General Assembly Committee on Information: Interactive dialogue on the Code of Conduct for Information Integrity on Digital Platforms

Under-Secretary General Fleming, distinguished colleagues,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the EU and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the potential candidate country Georgia, align themselves with this statement.

First, let me thank you for undertaking this important task of developing a Code of Conduct for Information Integrity on Digital Platforms. The policy brief published in May is a very constructive step in this regard.

As the world faces a growing number of crises with a changing information environment, the international community has the critical role of ensuring access to diverse, transparent and reliable information to its citizens. This requires promoting media and information literacy, reliable sources of information and quality journalism, as well as protecting human rights – starting with freedom of expression.

We also believe that it is important to adopt a multilingual approach in this effort, as failing to do so would create a digital divide that could increase vulnerability to these threats.

More than ever, international principles are needed to tackle information manipulation and interference, including disinformation. And the Code of Conduct presents us with a vital opportunity to do so, by creating guardrails to help governments and other stakeholders come together and allow for stronger joint action and accountability. I would like to highlight three priorities for the European Union in that context:

• First, we need to ensure a whole of society approach. We need to cooperate with advertisers, ad-tech companies, fact-checkers, online platforms, including emerging and specialised platforms, media, civil society organisations and stakeholders that have specific expertise or offer solutions to fight disinformation.

• Second, we need to ensure that platforms better address challenges presented by online information manipulation and disinformation. As it erodes public trust in democratic processes and institutions and incites discrimination, intolerance and violence, including online gender-based violence and harassment. It is equally essential to safeguard users' rights on digital platforms to prevent any misuse that might stifle the legitimate expression of views and opinions.

• Third, the Code of Conduct should build upon and complement national and regional frameworks on information manipulation, disinformation and illegal content. It should avoid duplication of efforts. For example, tackling information manipulation and disinformation requires different approaches compared to addressing hate speech. This should be acknowledged in the Code of Conduct.

The EU stands ready to share its experience and expertise in addressing foreign information manipulation and interference, as well as in developing legal principles and a framework for action. The EU has adopted the Digital Services Act (DSA) which aims to create a transparent and safe online space to safeguard users against illegal and harmful content, such as disinformation and online harassment, while fully protecting the fundamental rights of users. The EU has also adopted a Code of Practice on Disinformation, which contains commitments in crucial areas like demonetization disinformation, transparency of political advertising, ensuring integrity of services, and empowering users and researchers.

Of course, this endeavour is connected with the work on the Global Digital Compact. The EU supports all efforts to close the various digital divides, including through sustainable, long-term human capacity building to ensure that all persons in the world are able to benefit from the digital transformation in a safe way.

Finally, we often see that information manipulation and disinformation, also when state-sponsored, actively uses harmful stereotypes and discriminatory narratives, including on grounds of sex, race, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, disability, age, sexual orientation and gender identity. This negative phenomenon should be addressed in the Code of Conduct. We therefore praise the approach taken by the UN in including disinformation based on gender in the Policy Brief for information integrity on digital platforms and would encourage the Code of Conduct to also take into consideration disinformation based on  other harmful and discriminatory narratives, including those targeting LGBTI persons or persons belonging to religious minorities.

Once again, we look forward to your proposals and stand ready to work with you to foster inclusive solutions and enhanced cooperation of public authorities, private sector, media & civil society, to protect individuals against harmful content.

Thank you.