"This report is the culmination of an in-depth investigation aimed at better defining the causes and challenges of information disorder, and offering a viable framework for action [...] The Aspen
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Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder invited voices from across our society to help build upon our understanding of the issues and our approach to recommendations. This included numerous examples of research, original ideas, draft legislation, and critical analysis from academics, policymakers, and activists—all leveraging deep, real-world experience while striving to meet the scale of the challenge. Each recommendation that follows represents a discrete, actionable idea. Though not all of the recommendations are mutually dependent, they should be considered together—they reinforce and build off one another. For instance, recommendations calling for access and disclosure support those that impose greater accountability for bad actors and, conversely, create a check on overreach. Our recommendations cover multiple areas: technology, society, government, and media. It is also important to note that, with imperfect information, we make imperfect decisions. Due to the opacity of tech and media platforms—how they operate and how they optimize their products—we do not have sufficient understanding of all the coordinated levers that could reduce societal harms while still allowing for innovation, and both individual and community benefit." (Letter from the co-chairs, page 2)
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"Disinformation and infodemics have been central for the media policy agenda in most countries and in particular in Europe. Yet, the European Commission has had a soft law approach centralizing obligations to handling
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information disorder on a content level. This commentary argues that by focusing primarily on the content level we miss the bigger picture where disinformation and infodemics are only symptoms of something more important on a media infrastructure level. The commentary suggests that we need to reconsider regulation on the infrastructure level instead that supports the democratic need for better access to verified content by looking at how the current legal structure across regulatory silos is benefitting the exact opposite. Furthermore, the commentary suggests to specifically address influencers (defined by number of followers) in the context of moderation, and lastly suggests that user data is ideally stored and governed outside privately owned companies in Europe in order to benefit users and society at large." (Abstract)
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