Most major digital platforms today are more dangerous and manipulative spaces than a few years ago, and the companies behind them show less interest in protecting their users than before. These are the main conclusions of “The Great Retreat”, the report published by the European network of fact-checking organizations EFCSN, of which Fundación Maldita.es is a member:
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The risks posed by disinformation to democracy, public health, the economy, and social cohesion in Europe.
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The role of major digital platforms in the harms caused by disinformation, sometimes due to inaction and other times because they actively promote it.
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How their messaging on disinformation has changed since Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
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Specific areas where they have cut or canceled measures against disinformation, and the effectiveness of initiatives like Community Notes.
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How European fact-checkers systematically collect and analyze data on false and misleading content, and how they help minimize these harms.
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Fact-checkers’ commitment to freedom of expression and their long-standing calls for platforms not to censor content, even misinformation.
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New threats to the online information space in the era of Generative Artificial Intelligence.
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Recommendations from European fact-checkers to platforms, institutions, and the public.