On Wednesday 6 April, the Council of Europe published a set of guidelines to address the challenges posed by digital political communication technologies to the fairness and legitimacy of electoral processes.
Although largely unregulated, online platforms are outpacing traditional media in political communication, notes the Committee of Ministers, which calls for a co-regulatory approach requiring States, platforms and civil society organisations to work together to define appropriate solutions, including independent monitoring mechanisms and a framework of sanctions for noncompliance.
Specific recommendations concern the transparency of election financing and spending through reporting requirements, the appointment of campaign managers, and the archiving of advertisements placed or broadcast online.
Another recommendation stresses the need for safeguards against the deliberate spread of political disinformation.
The Committee of Ministers also calls for citizens to be informed about the reasons why they are targeted by online political advertisements, with the possibility of refusing such information. The Committee of Ministers is also focused on the effects of digital technologies on freedom of expression and on media and communication governance, which is addressed in terms of 15 key principles. (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)