ACMA Reports on Disinformation Code Progress

The fifth annual report to government assesses how seven platform signatories are tackling disinformation and misinformation under the voluntary code.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

ACMA Reports on Disinformation Code Progress

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has released its fifth report to government on the Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation. The report sets out signatories' efforts to combat disinformation and misinformation under the voluntary arrangements, including code governance and reporting.

Why it matters

The report shows how digital platforms are using AI-enabled tools in moderating and enforcing rules against violative content, which bears directly on how false information is handled online in Australia. It also tracks whether reporting has improved since the 2022 Australian Federal Election.

The report draws on Australian-specific datasets from seven signatories, with Google, Microsoft and Redbubble supplying three years or more of datapoints. Several signatories gave greater insight into their AI-enabled moderation tools, though the report's findings on overall code effectiveness remain a matter for the ACMA's assessment.

The players

Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)

The ACMA is the federal regulator responsible for communications and media in Australia, and it oversees the code and reports annually to government on its operation.

DIGI

DIGI is the industry body that the ACMA engages with to improve reporting under the code.

Google

Google is one of the seven code signatories and provided three years or more of Australian-specific datapoints in the report.

The details

The code was published in February 2021 and operates on a voluntary basis, with the ACMA providing an annual report to government on its effectiveness and signatories' reporting activities. The 2026 report notes that signatories continue to implement and enhance AI tools for moderation, and that there has been some improvement in election reporting since 2022.

February 2021: The Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation was published.
2022: The Australian Federal Election served as a benchmark for election reporting.
5 November 2026: The ACMA released its fifth report to government on the code.

Roadmap

The Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation, published in February 2021, is a voluntary framework that the ACMA reviews annually. This fifth report tracks how signatories have implemented AI moderation tools since that framework was introduced.

For Australian internet users, the report indicates that platforms are relying more on AI tools to moderate content, which may affect what material is removed or flagged. The findings also show whether election-related information has been handled more consistently since 2022.

The takeaway

Readers can expect continued reporting on how platforms moderate disinformation in Australia, as the ACMA keeps working with signatories and DIGI to strengthen the voluntary code's transparency over time.