IPIE Submission on the UN Code of Conduct for Information Integrity on Digital Platforms

This submission by the IPIE sets out recommendations for a UN Code of Conduct for Information Integrity on Digital Platforms. The recommendations aim to extend the principles by including the following:

• Commitment to information integrity: Include an obligation for stakeholders to correct mis- and disinformation,
• Respect for human rights: Researchers should be granted access to data and systems so that they can map hate speech on digital platforms and assess countermeasures and their impact on human rights,
• Support for independent media: Independent national media that conducts fact-checking in local languages should be supported,
• Increased transparency: Researchers should have access to the data and systems of digital platforms without delay or incurring unreasonable costs,
• User empowerment: Content labelling and corrective information should be promoted as validated countermeasures to mis- and disinformation on digital platforms,
• Strengthened research and access: Digital platforms should adopt a “disclosure by default” approach to granting researchers access to data and systems, and more research in more countries and in more languages is urgently needed,
• Scaled-up responses: Research on the information environment should be encouraged in all parts of the world and in languages other than English,
• Stronger disincentives: Researchers should be given access to how digital platforms counter mis- and disinformation, and the research should be available for regulators and legislators so that they can use it to design disincentives,
• Enhanced trust and safety: Research is needed on AI in the information environment, and AI should not be used to shape the information environment unless it is safe, secure, responsible, ethical, and human rights compliant.

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