As the world gears up for the 2024 U.S. election and other significant political races globally, a study by Mozilla and CheckFirst reveals a concerning lack of preparedness among internet companies in combating the imminent wave of misinformation.
The research, conducted between December and January, scrutinized tech giants like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Pinterest, Snap, TikTok, and others. The findings were disheartening, with some platforms labeled as “a major disappointment” by the researchers.
The evaluated ad transparency tools were mandated by the European Union’s Digital Services Act, aimed at ensuring large tech platforms maintain ad libraries and provide tools like APIs for researchers and the public. Unfortunately, none of the tested platforms received a satisfactory rating, with many having noticeable gaps in data and functionality.
It’s alarming news as these platforms brace for a crucial year of elections impacting over 4 billion people across 40 nations. Amaury Lesplingart from CheckFirst stressed the importance of collaboration among platforms to address election-related challenges heightened by the surge in AI-generated content.
The rise of AI has also raised concerns about the escalation of election-related misinformation, with deepfake content increasing by 900% annually. Lawmakers and experts are particularly wary of AI’s potential misuse to deceive voters in campaigns, citing past instances of misinformation dissemination during elections.
The researchers expressed disappointment in the lackluster effort from certain platforms, especially singling out X for providing only a CSV file instead of a user-friendly web interface. Platforms such as Bing, Snapchat, Alibaba’s AliExpress, and others also received poor ratings in the evaluation.
On a slightly brighter note, platforms like Apple’s App Store, LinkedIn, Meta, and TikTok fared relatively better in the assessment but still exhibited significant gaps in data and functionality. The researchers emphasized the importance of these tools being practical and efficient for researchers to utilize effectively.
Despite the shortcomings highlighted in the study, the researchers remain optimistic about the potential for further improvements in ad transparency tools. They underscore the critical role these tools play in safeguarding the integrity of elections in the digital age.
