The 2020 infodemics – How this year will shape future policies on disinformation

Please note: We apologise for the poor quality of the recording at times. 

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic and the US elections forced both tech companies and policymakers to reevaluate measures on disinformation. Social media companies and other digital platforms took steps to limit the spread of misleading and discriminatory content on health and voting issues, which were widely shared online. Meanwhile, policymakers in both the US and the EU are considering regulation for those platforms, in part meant to minimize the threat that disinformation poses to individuals and societies. As soon as early December, the European Commission is set to unveil a key proposal: The Digital Services Act. 
 
How exactly have the experiences from 2020 changed the way companies and politicians tackle disinformation? And, looking ahead: What is to be expected of measures such as the Digital Services Act next year? These questions among others have been discussed during the online background discussion with Heidi Tworek. Heidi Tworek has worked on international policy-making efforts in this field as a professor at the University of British Columbia and as a member of the steering committee of a transatlantic expert working group.