Google has introduced a set of tools to help ensure transparency in the run-up to the 2019 EU Elections.  

The toolset aims to crack down on “dark adverts” found online and prevent similar campaigns of misinformation carried out during the 2016 US Elections.  

Dark ads enabled campaigners to target specific groups of people during the US Elections. 

The strong EU focus of the firm comes days after the company was accused of stifling competition on its comparison platform by a number of European companies.  

Dark Adverts 

To combat misinformation, Google will require adverts that mention “a political party, candidate or current officeholder” disclose who is paying for the advertising.  

Additionally, the company will verify EU election advertisers to ensure they are legitimate and “make sure they are who they say they are”.  

A repository of election adverts will also be compiled by Google to provide more information about who is purchasing election ads, who is being targeted and how much money has been spent.  

Google’s Director for EU public policy and government relations, Lie Junius, says the tools will “help voters better understand the political advertising they see.” 

Greater Transparency 

Google is not alone in combating fake news or misinformation on its platforms. Social media companies, including Twitter and Facebook, launched transparency requirements for online political advertising this year.  

These were, in part, in response to threats by the US Congress, which said it would introduce legislation to make this a legal requirement if firms failed to react.  

Facebook’s toolset was launched earlier this year; however, it is not yet fully operational in the UK. Similarly, Twitter’s tools are not available in the UK currently.  

Google launched its political transparency tools in the US during the summer, however, as with Facebook and Twitter, these have not been launched in the UK. Britain is scheduled to leave the EU before its May elections and as such has been left out of the launch.

In the run-up to the elections, it will also work alongside news organisations from all EU member states to support online fact checking, the company confirmed in a statement.

“Because people rely on quality news content to navigate noisy election periods, Google News Lab will collaborate with news organizations across all 27 countries to support online fact-checking,” the statement reads. “They’ll be offering a series of free verification workshops to point journalists to the latest tools and technology to tackle disinformation and support their coverage of the elections. “