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BRUSSELS, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Europe is looking to online platforms and influencers to help fight disinformation and promote democracy according to a European Commission strategy presented on Wednesday amid concerns over interference by foreign governments in national elections. Sign up here. The European Democracy Shield strategy expects them to go the extra mile, with the EU executive setting up a DSA incidents and crisis protocol to facilitate coordination between authorities and react swiftly to large-scale operations. Signatories to a voluntary Code of Conduct on disinformation, among them Google, Microsoft, Meta and TikTok, may be required to make a greater effort to detect and label AI-generated and manipulated content on their platforms. "The Democracy Shield connects the dots, making sure Europe's tools and actors work together effectively in defence of our shared values. The challenge is clear and let us make no mistake, the stakes are indeed very high," EU Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath told a news conference. The Commission also singled out influencers' role in online political campaigns, saying it would set up a voluntary network of influencers to raise awareness of relevant EU rules. A newly set-up European Centre for Democratic Resilience will coordinate EU countries' expertise and resources and facilitate information sharing. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Alexandra Hudson Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab An agenda-setting and market-moving journalist, Foo Yun Chee is a 21-year veteran at Reuters. Her stories on high profile mergers have pushed up the European telecoms index, lifted companies' shares and helped investors decide on their next move. Her knowledge and experience of European antitrust laws and developments helped her break stories on Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta and Apple, numerous market-moving mergers and antitrust investigations. She has previously reported on Greek politics and companies, when Greece's entry into the eurozone meant it punched above its weight on the international stage, as well as on Dutch corporate giants and the quirks of Dutch society and culture that never fail to charm readers.
