Nearly two years ago, Google, Microsoft, Tik-Tok, Twitter, Facebook and Redbubble signed onto a voluntary code of practice aimed at combating the spread of misinformation and disinformation in Australia. Since launch, the code has seen two further signatories in Adobe and Apple. The code is overseen by the Digital Industry Group (DIGI).
While codes like this are undoubtedly important, this is a voluntary one, not run by a government arm (the ACMA does have some level of oversight over what DIGI is doing, just not much). But, since its inception, it’s had a lot of backlash. One issue many took with the code was that the threshold for what constitutes ‘harm’ was too high, thus allowing harmful things to still run rampant on these digital platforms.
Today, DIGI has tweaked the code a little.
These changes include a modification of the definition of harm in relation to mis and disinformation. Instead of it being ‘serious and imminent’, the new threshold is ‘serious and credible’ threat of harm.
Another change is to allow smaller players onto the code, also modifying the transparency reporting requirements to capture services with less than one million active monthly users in Australia.
A few other changes are just rewordings (read: fluff) but the last requires greater transparency around the specific products and services that are within scope of the signatories’ code commitments, through updates to the code, transparency reporting requirements and the DIGI website.
These changes came about after DIGI launched the review of the code back in June. That was just after the digital platforms signed up to it had published their first round of transparency reports.
Under the Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation, signatories have committed to safeguards to protect against online disinformation and misinformation, including publishing and implementing policies on their approach, and providing a way for their users to report content that may violate those policies. Part of the commitment to the code is publishing transparency reports on the work done by each company on their respective platforms.
You can read more about the code here.