16 June 2022, Brussels, Belgium - IAB Europe today declared its formal endorsement of the strengthened Code of Practice (CoP) on Disinformation, as part of its participation in the launch event held in Brussels.
The CoP was revised to take account of the European Commission’s Guidance on Strengthening the Code of Practice on Disinformation released in May 2021. IAB Europe was an active participant in the revision process, alongside other stakeholders including corporate players from online advertising and platforms sectors as well as fact-checking organisations, civil society representatives and other parties providing solutions to fight disinformation.
IAB Europe was one of the signatories of the original CoP in 2018, widely recognised as the first-ever policy tool addressing the challenge of disinformation. In its role as a trade association signatory, IAB Europe has been evangelising the Code within the industry and encouraging continued collaboration on it across the digital ecosystem.
“Online disinformation is a scourge and a major challenge to contemporary society,” said Townsend Feehan, IAB Europe CEO. “The drafting process of the strengthened Code has brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including direct participation of advertising industry players and their experts. Their involvement allowed for in-depth discussions and commitments to address brand safety aspects that are particularly important for ensuring brands’ confidence in a safe and trusted digital ecosystem. We are looking forward to seeing through the commitments of the CoP, to help defund the dissemination of disinformation and support industry innovations that contribute to diminishing its incidence.”
IAB Europe will continue to help educate the industry on the importance of the CoP and of its commitments that aim to contribute to a digital space that continues to provide accurate information and views, on terms that are accessible and affordable for all citizens. IAB Europe will also work with other signatories to ensure a strong monitoring framework in order to assess the implementation and impact of the CoP, reporting on its contribution accordingly.