Page 30 - JDPA Volume 02, Issue 02

Journal of Defence & Policy Analysis Volume 02, Issue 02, December 2023

The challenges raised by disinformation may be addressed through:
1. Regulatory approaches focused on transparency.
2. Promoting robust public information regimes and wide-ranging access
to information.
3. Protecting free and independent media and dialogue with communities.
4. Building digital, media and information literacy.

1. Regulatory approaches focused on transparency

Regulatory approaches focused on transparency offer a promising avenue for
combating disinformation. Instead of regulating individual content, these ap-
proaches explore the use of regulatory tools that require digital platforms to en-
hance transparency. A notable example is the European Union’s proposed Digital
Services Act, which was developed through a broad participatory process. This
Act imposes a range of obligations on “very large online platforms” that have sig-
nificant societal and economic impacts. These obligations are designed to address
various aspects of the disinformation problem.

Firstly, the Act aims to reduce financial incentives for disinformation. By dimin-
ishing the profitability of spreading false information, the Act targets one of the
key motivations behind disinformation campaigns. Additionally, it mandates
transparency in political advertising, ensuring that the origins and funding of
political ads are clear to the public. This transparency is crucial in maintaining
the integrity of democratic processes and preventing the manipulation of public
opinion.

The Act also requires platforms to cooperate with fact-checkers, enhancing the
accuracy of information disseminated online. By facilitating access for research-
ers, the Act supports the continuous monitoring and analysis of disinformation
trends and the effectiveness of measures taken to combat them. This collabora-
tion between platforms, fact-checkers, and researchers is essential for developing
and implementing effective counter-disinformation strategies.

Moreover, the European Commission’s Code of Practice on Disinformation in-
cludes monitoring frameworks that oblige platforms to regularly report on their
implementation of the Code’s provisions. These reports provide valuable insights
into how platforms are addressing disinformation and allow for ongoing assess-
ment and improvement of these efforts.

Faculty of Defence and Strategic Studies, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka
20