On Thursday, February 8th, 2024, the Commission has launched a public consultation to seek views on draft Digital Service Act guidelines on the integrity of electoral processes. These guidelines, the first under Article 35 of the DSA, aim to provide Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines with best practices and measures to mitigate risks threatening democratic electoral processes. Examples of mitigation measures, particularly related to Generative AI content and risk planning for electoral events, are included. The guidelines offer specific guidance for the European Parliament elections. The consultation, open until March 7, 2024, builds on the election integrity readiness dialogue and addresses emerging online risks, such as deep fakes. Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, and Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market, emphasize the importance of the DSA in ensuring platform compliance and preventing misuse during the election year of 2024 with elections at local, regional, national, and European level. The guidelines take into account relevant legislative initiatives, including transparency in political advertising, the AI Act, and measures against disinformation.
To read the European Commission’s press release, please click on the following link.
