Executive summary

In 2023 the Global Disinformation Index (GDI) became a signatory of the European Union’s Strengthened Code of Practice on Disinformation (CoP).  The Global Disinformation Index is a not-for-profit organisation that operates on the three principles of neutrality, independence and transparency. Our vision is a world free from disinformation and its harms. Our mission is to catalyse industry and government to defund disinformation. We provide disinformation risk ratings of the world’s news media sites.

GDI believes that a robust regulatory regime against disinformation depends on the input of signatories and stakeholders.  Consequently, we are pleased to submit our formal CoP transparency report on activities carried out between January - June 2025. Here is a summary of how we implemented our commitments. 

GDI committed to rate sources to determine if they contain a high narrative density of disinforming content and will provide reasonable criteria under which websites are rated, make public the assessment of the relevant criteria relating to Disinformation and operate in an apolitical manner.

GDI published a research report on the State of Disinformation in Germany (https://www.disinformationindex.org/research/2025-09-13-state-of-disinformation-germany-june-2025) including the legal and regulatory framework, central adversarial narratives, foreign interference implications, and key policy takeaways.

 

 

GDI has contributed to the Centre’s information to the extent that the Code is applicable to our services. Specifically, GDI has been proactive in submitting comprehensive transparency reports, documents, and relevant data under the Code. This included publicly sharing GDI’s top trends of 2024 in data science, intelligence analysis, and policy. Additionally, GDI also shared an analysis of the threats concerning generative AI, with a focus on how AI-generated content can undermine trust to cause real-life harm. GDI has also released analysis on content concerning the ongoing US presidential race, including research on disinformation narratives concerning the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.

As referenced in GDI’s previous transparency report, we have made public how we define disinformation. Identifying disinformation is a complex and nuanced process that goes beyond fact checking. Disinformation, as we use the term, does not denote information about which reasonable parties may disagree, such as varying political views. Instead, we use the word to refer to deliberately misleading information, knowingly spread, or the omission of certain facts in service of a particular narrative. GDI views disinformation through the lens of adversarial narrative conflict. Adversarial narratives share common characteristics: They have the intent to mislead; They are financially or geopolitically motivated; They aim to foster long-term social, political or economic conflict; They create a risk of harm to at-risk individuals, groups or institutions. “At-risk groups” range from immigrants to protected classes like women, persecuted minorities, people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community, children etc. “Institutions” goes beyond institutions themselves to also include the current scientific or medical consensus on topics such as climate change or vaccines, as well as democratic processes like voting laws or the judicial system. The harm caused by disinformation is wide ranging, from risks of financial damage to violence, illness or even death. Content that promotes these disinformation narratives also poses a potential risk to brands. Advertisers have a right to choose where their adverts end up and what sort of content their ad dollars support. 

 

 

GDI’s position as a nonprofit civil society organisation supports the work of the task force by ensuring there is independent third-party oversight and scrutiny of information and solutions provided by signatories. GDI has been actively engaged in meetings and data-sharing with the following subgroups:

● Subgroup on Monitoring and Reporting

● Subgroup on Ad Scrutiny

 

 

GDI’s wealth of knowledge in the disinformation ecosystem supports the monitoring of the Code by ensuring relevant signatories are disclosing, sharing, and updating the data necessary to assess compliance. GDI has instituted internal systems to ensure high quality and efficiency in our cooperation with policy processes and mission of disrupting the disinformation ecosystem. Furthermore, GDI’s intelligence-gathering on the assessment of news sources and trends in disinformation narratives has helped empower advertisers, ad tech companies, and digital platforms to minimise the risk of harmful content.