On 13 February, the EBU submitted our feedback to the European Commission’s call for evidence on the future action plan to combat online fraud. We highlight the challenges posed by deepfake scams, where media outlets’ and journalists’ good reputation are manipulated using AI tools to scam audiences, which are increasing at an unprecedented rate. We urge the Commission to ensure that online platforms remove such content effectively.

“By exploiting trust in local media and journalists, these scams push fraudulent products and services and spread dis- and misinformation,” says Thomas Bergmann, Senior EU Policy Adviser, EBU, “Such scams harm citizens and erode trust in media and journalism as a whole. This cannot be allowed to continue.”

While the Digital Services Act (DSA), but also the AI Act, introduce transparency requirements for online advertising and AI-generated or manipulated content, transparency alone won’t do the trick. Under the DSA, online platforms must also remove illegal content following user notices. But the notice-and-action mechanism can simply not match the scale and volatility of fraudulent and illegal content such as celebrity scams.

With many of these scams being short-lived, vanishing within 24 hours only to resurface later, it is extremely difficult for media outlets to identify and report them. Even when reported, platforms often refuse to act, arguing that media outlets cannot act on behalf of their journalists or that the content is not illegal.

We have therefore been advocating that platforms should address the issue under the DSA’s systemic risk framework. Being part of coordinated campaigns, celebrity scams constitute systemic risks that harm consumer protection, media freedom and pluralism, and breach privacy rights and copyright.

Our position calls for:

• stronger and more targeted measures: to stop bad actors from abusing advertising systems and AI technology to malicious ends;
• real enforcement: online platforms must not be allowed to exist above the law; they must comply or be held accountable.

We began addressing this issue in 2024, including through a blog series, highlighting the rise of deepfake and AI-driven scams and offering practical tips to protect against them. While the challenge is great, we remain ready to work with the Commission and online platforms to take real action, stop these scams, and safeguard trust in media.

Read our full position to the right.