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Meta, Google, Snap and TikTok Pledge Support to New Election Integrity Guidelines (Image via TechFirstNow)
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Leading global tech giants - Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, Google, and Microsoft have united in pledging their support to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) new Voluntary Election Integrity guidelines. As technology spreads its branches to all corners of the globe, the IFES' new guidelines will ensure enhanced transparency amidst the tech companies, especially in their work during the election season.
This development is key given that as many as 70 countries are all set to conduct national-level elections in 2024. The 60th US Presidential election set to be conducted in November 2024 can arguably be touted as the biggest.
IFES' New Voluntary Election Integrity guidelines set to eradicate disinformation surrounding elections
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With the new Voluntary Election Integrity Guidelines, companies would have to abide by a set of already created rules and regulations, which has been a key challenge to address over the years. The guidelines were released recently on the 19th of March during the third annual Summit for Democracy conducted in Seoul.
These guidelines will also look to eradicate the amount of false information available to the voters within a country, whether it be related to their voting rights, voting process or cyberattacks. The leading tech companies in Meta, Snap, Google, Microsoft, and TikTok would work closely with election authorities globally. This move will enable voters to have access to factual information before casting their important votes.
IFES CEO and President Tony Banbury doubled down on these critical points while giving his thoughts on the importance of the new guidelines. He claimed that the cooperation of technological companies is of utmost importance if democratic countries have to get rid of their biggest threat, namely disinformation.
“Disinformation is the single gravest threat facing electoral integrity and democracy in many countries of the world, and that threat is just getting worse,” Tony Banbury said. “Election officials have a critical job—to build and sustain the trust of the voters in the integrity of the electoral process. To fulfil their mission, they need the cooperation of the technology sector.”
After agreeing to the new Voluntary Election Integrity Guidelines, Meta also approved the guidelines, claiming it would help the company and its users. Meta's President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg said, "These guidelines build on the work we've been doing and provide shared practices that will benefit both Meta and our peers.”
Agreeing to these guidelines, however, is similar to scaling the tip of the iceberg as the IFES looks to work with global companies to mark the beginning of a "Year of Action."
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