Election disinformation, legal checking and platform regulation with Les Surligneurs

30 Jul 2024

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Podcast

EU election disinformation, legal checking and platform regulation with Les Surligneurs | Bytes of Ingenuity
EU election disinformation, legal checking and platform regulation with Les Surligneurs | Bytes of Ingenuity

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In this episode, host Nick Newsom talks to Vincent Couronne, co-founder of Les Surligneurs and treasurer of the European Fact-Checking Standards Network.

Vincent shares highlights from the Global Fact 11 Summit in Sarajevo, where the strained relationship between fact-checkers and platforms like Meta, Google, and TikTok was a hot topic.

The discussion covers disinformation trends during the European Union elections, noting the shift from targeting the electoral process to undermining trust in EU institutions by exploiting local issues, a tactic used by foreign actors like Russia and China.

Vincent addresses the evolving nature of disinformation with AI-generated content, which, while still limited in spread, fosters doubt about information authenticity.

Les Surligneurs’ “legal checking” methdology is showcased. This focuses on verifying legal claims with impartial experts. Vincent highlights their rigorous methodology to ensure accuracy and impartiality, and how L’Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, Les Surligneurs, Siren and Dalil are using AI to accelerate and widen access to precise legal information about topics of public importance.

Finally, Vincent discusses the future of fact-checking, emphasising collaboration with researchers and media literacy organisations, and the importance of legal frameworks like the EU’s Digital Services Act to hold digital platforms accountable.

Episode overview

  • 01:17 – Takeaways from GlobalFact 11

  • 03:54 – Disinformation around the EU elections

  • 09:38 – Challenges of AI and deepfakes

  • 14:00 – Helping journalists know what the legal consensus is around issues

  • 20:00 – Augmenting legal checking using AI

  • 25:10 – EU AI Act and disinformation

  • 27:21 – The relationship between platforms and fact-checkers

  • 33:56 – Is the Digital Services Act muscular enough on disinformation?

  • 37:47 - Fighting accusations fact-checkers being part of ‘censorship industrial complex’, and building a broad-based movement against disinformation

Further reading