New disinformation reports: deletion counts need context

A Commission announcement dated 24 September says platform signatories to the Code of Conduct on Disinformation have released their latest reports. The submissions by Google, Meta, Microsoft and TikTok cover the first half of the year. They are provider reports, not performance tests conducted by this newsroom.

Editorial analysis. A high deletion count can indicate stronger enforcement or a larger problem. Assessment needs a denominator: how much content was examined and how many people did it reach? The time between publication and action matters too. Removing a claim after extensive circulation differs from limiting its spread early.

Hungarian publishers and advertisers should examine Hungarian-language coverage separately. A global total does not automatically establish equally accurate local moderation. Wrongful removals and the outcomes of appeals also matter: more intervention does not always mean better quality.

Metrics covering different languages, content types and stages of circulation cannot simply be added or compared without explanation.

The next step is to compare periods using consistent methods and checkable external research. A sound conclusion requires visible methodology, limitations and comparable metrics. This publication makes scrutiny possible; it does not, by itself, establish that the platforms have succeeded or failed.