European Commission criticises Google company

In a letter sent to the Google company, which has been signed by four European commissioners, who have seen Radio Free Europe, it is said that the quality of information provided to the European Commission “clearly indicates that there has been an urgent need for further action”.

In October last year, Google, but also Twitter and Facebook, signed a Code of Action a set of rules set by Brussels to fight online deinformation before the May 23rd-26th elections, following numerous reports of money interventions and during the national elections of EU member states and elsewhere.

The three companies have offered European Commission monthly reporting on the deployment of political advertising, with the aim of “strengthening the integrity of services, including closing false accounts”.

In the commissionors' letter to Google Executive Chief Sundar Pichar, after two reports, commissioners said that the latest “reports of Google have provided little information concerning the results achieved, through implementation of key measures”.

The letter also states that the company did not provide “information on concrete actions to identify harmful activities and close false accounts”. Google has also been criticised for not providing full information on the important aspects of implementing the measures.

The letter, signed by Commissioner for Security Julian King, Commissioner for Digital Economics Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Digitalisation Andrus Aspin and Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova, invites the Google company for talks in Brussels on March 19th, “will discuss how reporting can improve and offer new information on concrete steps to be taken, with the aim of supporting member states on monitoring and strengthening electoral laws<x1.