If I right now try and use that Facebook ad library API, it is an utter disaster. That's a fundamental problem. And so my concern is these governments have been putting more pressure on the technology companies. We have not good transparency measures yet. They're allowed to tick a box. But they are marking their own homework right now.
How can tech companies help flatten the curve? First and foremost, they must address the lethal misinformation and disinformation circulating on their platforms. The problem goes much deeper than fake news, according to Claire Wardle, co-founder and executive director of First Draft. She studies the gray zones of information warfare, where bad actors mix facts with falsehoods, news with gossip, and sincerity with satire. “Most of this stuff isn't fake and most of this stuff isn't news,” Claire argues. If these subtler forms of misinformation go unaddressed, tech companies may not only fail to flatten the curve — they could raise it higher.