Code Background
More information on development of the cdoe
ABOUT THE CODE
How the code was developed
On February 22 2021, DIGI launched a new code of practice that commits a diverse set of technology companies to reducing the risk of online misinformation causing harm to Australians.
The Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation has been adopted by Adobe, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Redbubble, TikTok and Twitch.
All signatories commit to safeguards to protect Australians against harm from online disinformation and misinformation, and to adopting a range of scalable measures that reduce its spread and visibility.
Participating companies also commit to releasing an annual transparency report about their efforts under the code, which will help improve understanding of online misinformation and disinformation in Australia over time. Transparency reports were published in May 2021 and May 2022, and are available to read here.
DIGI developed this code with assistance from the University of Technology Sydney’s Centre for Media Transition and First Draft, a global organisation that specialises in helping societies overcome false and misleading information. The final code has been informed by a robust public consultation process.
The Code was developed in response to the Australian Government policy announced in December 2019, where the digital industry was asked to develop a voluntary code of practice on disinformation, drawing learnings from a similar code in the European Union. In October 2021, DIGI strengthened the code with independent oversight and a facility for the public to report breaches by signatories of their code commitments. In June 2022, DIGI launched a review of the code to inform its continued improvement.
2022 CODE REVIEW
DIGI launched The Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation in February 2021, and the code commits DIGI to a review of the code after a year of operation.
DIGI accepted public submissions to inform potential changes to the code between June 6, 2022 until July 18, 2022, including late submissions in the weeks following. DIGI encouraged stakeholders contributing to the review to read DIGI’s Annual Report and Discussion Paper.
DIGI concluded its 2022 review of the code in December 2022, by releasing an updated code, a report that details how the updated code addresses stakeholder feedback, and all public submissions.
In addition to its commitments to periodic reviews of the code, DIGI continues to support in principle the ACMA’s recommendations to the Government to have greater oversight of the code and misinformation more broadly.
These updates are the latest set in a series of improvements driven by DIGI and code signatories since the code was introduced in February 2021. In October 2021, DIGI introduced independent oversight and a complaints facility to increase accountability. In 2022, independent assessment and best practice reporting guidelines were introduced to drive improvements in the transparency reporting process.
- Encouraging greater participation in the code by smaller digital platforms, including by modifying the transparency reporting requirements for services with less than one million active monthly users in Australia.
- An updated definition of ‘harm’ in relation to mis and disinformation, addressing stakeholders’ concerns that the threshold of ‘serious and imminent’ threat of harm was too high; the new threshold is ‘serious and credible’ threat of harm.
- Additional commitments reflecting updates to the strengthened EU Code of Practice in relation to recommender systems, and deterring advertisers from repeatedly placing digital advertisements that propagate mis- and disinformation. There are also updates to further clarify that both sponsored content and paid for advertising are in scope of relevant commitments on demonetising mis and disinformation.
- Retaining the pre-existing exclusion of professional news content from being treated as misinformation under the code, and the pre-existing obligation for signatories to address this content when it is being disseminated as disinformation. The review concluded that the ACMA and the professional news media are best placed to address misinformation concerns within their self regulatory and co-regulatory codes.
- Requiring 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.
2022 REVIEW REPORT
DECEMBER 2022
Response to submissions
2022 Review of The Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
DECEMBER 2022
Review Submission Report
A report prepared by DIGI that responds to submissions received during the public consultation on the 2022 review of the code.
JUNE 2022
Annual Report 2022
This report provides research about Australians’ perceptions of misinformation. It contains information about how the code has evolved since it was initially launched, detailing its governance arrangements, complaints and evolutions in the transparency re???
JUNE 2022
Discussion Paper
This discussion paper provides background and specific questions and proposals to assist public consultation on the code review. It takes into account the ACMA’s report to the previous Government that was released in March 2022.
SUBMISSIONS
Download and read the submissions received during the public consultation period for the 2022 code review. Response to the feedback received through these submissions is logged in the ‘response to submissions’ document above.
MORE INFO
Lodge a complaint
To lodge a complaint under the code, please use the complaint form here. DIGI only accepts complaints from the Australian public where they believe a signatory has materially breached the code’s commitments. DIGI cannot accept complaints about individual items of content on signatories’ products or services, and ask that these be directed to the signatory via their reporting mechanisms or otherwise.
Get in touch
The code is open to any company in the digital industry as a blueprint for best practice for how to combat mis and disinformation online. If you are interested in adopting the code, please contact us at hello@digi.org.au.
Contact Us
Newsletter Signup
Coming Soon