Healthy information ecosystem
Microsoft is dedicated to supporting a healthy information ecosystem where trusted news and information thrive.
Preserving journalism
Healthy democracies require healthy journalism. Technology has played a role in the disruption of news, but it can also be an important part of the rebuilding effort.
Trusted sources
Today, information operations pose one of the most serious cyber threats and risks weakening the foundations of democracies worldwide. Technology and the Internet have played a part in the rise of this threat and should also be significant tools in combatting it.
Information literacy
Being an informed citizen is critical to participatory democracy; however, navigating the modern digital landscape for trusted news and information is complex. Finding, consuming, and sharing trusted information is an important skill, so more resources, tools, and educational efforts are required.
Freedom of expression
We will respect freedom of expression and uphold our customers’ ability to create, publish, and search for information via our platforms, products, and services.
Authoritative content
We will prioritize surfacing content to counter foreign cyber influence operations by utilizing internal and trusted third-party data on our products.
Demonetization
We will not willfully profit from foreign cyber influence content or actors.
Proactive efforts
We will proactively work to prevent our platforms and products from being used to amplify foreign cyber influence sites and content.
Combating AI deepfakes in elections
Microsoft has joined leaders across the tech sector to stand together to protect elections and ensure that voters retain the right to choose who governs them, free of AI-based manipulation.
Microsoft announces new steps to protect elections
Microsoft has committed to help protect critical elections in 2024. These commitments are grounded in principles to help safeguard voters, candidates and campaigns, and election authorities worldwide.
Rebuilding local news
Three years ago, Microsoft launched a journalism initiative to explore how to address the crisis facing independent local news organizations. Learn how our guidebook provides independent local news organizations with the strategies, tools, and support they need.
Additional stories
Addressing deepfakes ahead of EU elections
During the 2024 European Parliament elections, the threat of AI-based manipulation – especially deepfakes – was a concern. Microsoft helped political parties, campaigns, news organizations, and voters safeguard the integrity of democratic processes.
Societal Resilience Fund
Microsoft and OpenAI announced the launch of a $2 million Societal Resilience Fund to further AI education and literacy among voters and vulnerable communities.
Content Integrity tools for elections
Our Content Integrity tools help organizations such as political campaigns and newsrooms send a signal that the content someone sees online is verifiably from their organization.
Creating newsrooms of the future
In a year where billions of people will vote in democratic elections worldwide, journalism is critical to creating healthy information ecosystems, and it is our mission to ensure that newsrooms can innovate to serve this year and in the future.
The next frontier in elections
Recently, the Council of State Governments announced the formation of a new Election Technology Initiative (ETI), of which Microsoft’s ElectionGuard will be its first project.
Microsoft invests in newsrooms globally
Microsoft, USAID, and Internews announce a new public-private partnership to develop a Media Viability Accelerator to help independent media outlets around the world become more financially sustainable.
Democracy depends on information literacy
In this challenging information environment, we believe that empowering consumers with the tools to find, consume, and share authoritative information is critical to supporting healthy information ecosystems and, therefore, thriving democracies.
Early lessons from Ukraine’s cyber war
Ongoing threat intelligence efforts in the war between Russia and Ukraine reinforce the need for new investments in technology, data, and partnerships to support governments, companies, NGOs, and universities.