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Google has told the European Union that it will no longer feature the work of fact-checking organisations on its search, YouTube and other platforms, a move that comes as the EU prepares to formalise tougher rules against misinformation under the Digital Services Act (DSA). While Google had already signed the EU’s 2022 voluntary code of practice on tackling disinformation, the company now plans to waive all fact-checking requirements set out in the code before the rules come into force.
In a letter to Renate Nicolai, the EU’s head of content and technology, Google’s global president Kent Walker said the fact-checking requirements were “neither appropriate nor effective” for the company’s services. While the current code encourages platforms to collaborate with fact-checkers in every EU country and language, Google argues that services like Search and YouTube cannot fully control the process of implementing these measures. Other commitments under the code include labeling political ads, combating bots and malicious deepfakes, and making it easier for users to identify and report disinformation.
Despite a large part in a voluntary code linked to large technological companies such as Microsoft, Tiktok, Twitch and Meta, many platforms, including Google, have been criticized for low compliance with their obligations. Twitter (now X) completely left the code after Elon Mask's acquisition, and Meta recently completed her fact checking program in the United States. The European Fact-Checking Standards Network has also highlighted the inconsistent adherence to the code by other platforms.
As the EU continues negotiations on which commitments will become legally binding under the DSA, Google’s decision to back away from fact-checking initiatives sets up potential conflicts with EU regulators. The European Commission has indicated the new rules could come into effect as early as January 2025, putting tech companies under pressure to comply with upcoming legislation.
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