US Elections 2020: Platform Policies Tracker

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In the run-up to the highly contentious US election, tech platforms have adopted a wide variety of new approaches to tackle disinformation and misinformation. The choices these companies make will have an outsized impact on the information seen online, before the election and in the chaotic days after.

So Mozilla is publishing an election misinformation policy tracker to help journalists, watchdogs, and voters keep tabs on what’s going on.

We analyzed six major social platforms in the tracker: Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok. We analyzed over 20 questions across four main areas:

  1. Limiting disinformation and misinformation – We assess how these six platforms take action against disinfo and misinfo, slow its amplification, and promote reliable sources.
  2. Advertising transparency – We look into which ads platforms accept, who is allowed to place ads, and how they are fact checked.
  3. Consumer control – Is it clear to users how they can report misinformation, and what happens when they do?
  4. Supporting research – Researchers play a critical role in tracking and reporting disinformation, and sharing this analysis with the public and public officials. Are they supported?

Open the research using the link above.

Read more about our key findings and recommendations here:

First published on 16 October 2020, final update on 21 January 2021. Corrections or updates? Please email them to [email protected]

google docs icon

Open the research (Google Doc)

In the run-up to the highly contentious US election, tech platforms have adopted a wide variety of new approaches to tackle disinformation and misinformation. The choices these companies make will have an outsized impact on the information seen online, before the election and in the chaotic days after.

So Mozilla is publishing an election misinformation policy tracker to help journalists, watchdogs, and voters keep tabs on what’s going on.

We analyzed six major social platforms in the tracker: Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok. We analyzed over 20 questions across four main areas:

  1. Limiting disinformation and misinformation – We assess how these six platforms take action against disinfo and misinfo, slow its amplification, and promote reliable sources.
  2. Advertising transparency – We look into which ads platforms accept, who is allowed to place ads, and how they are fact checked.
  3. Consumer control – Is it clear to users how they can report misinformation, and what happens when they do?
  4. Supporting research – Researchers play a critical role in tracking and reporting disinformation, and sharing this analysis with the public and public officials. Are they supported?

Open the research using the link above.

Read more about our key findings and recommendations here:

First published on 16 October 2020, final update on 21 January 2021. Corrections or updates? Please email them to [email protected]