‘Fake news harms democracy’:

European leaders take steps to check disinformation online

PETALING JAYA: The phenomenon of fake news has sparked a global outcry, with several nations taking drastic steps to combat the growing threat it poses.

On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Theresa May announced that the government was setting up a dedicated national security unit to tackle fake news and disinformation.

“We are living in an era of fake news and competing narratives.

“The government will respond with more and better use of national security communications to tackle these interconnected, complex challenges,” a government spokesman said.

A committee of MPs is carrying out an inquiry into the “growing phenomenon” and has demanded information from Facebook and Twitter, including data on Russian activity during the EU referendum.

In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron announced in his New Year’s Eve address that he would overhaul French media legislation to fight the spread of fake news, calling it a threat to liberal democracies.

Macron has said he and his team were victims of fake news and a major data hack during his election campaign last year.

“If we want to protect liberal democracies, we must have strong legislation,” Macron said, adding that the reform he envisaged would also change the role of France’s media watchdog CSA.

A new emergency procedure in the event of fake news would allow a judge to delete content, close a user’s account, or block access to a website, he said.

Last April, Facebook criticised a new German law that fines social media companies 50 million euros (RM241mil) if they fail to remove hate speech and false news.

The Network Enforcement Act or Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz in German (NetzDG, for short) was approved but has yet to be enforced.

Failing to comply with the NetzDG could result in a fine of up to five million euros (RM24.1mil) on the individual deemed responsible for the company in Germany.

On Jan 15, the European Commission said it will be proposing EU-level plans later this year on how to tackle fake news.

Mariya Gabriel, the EU commissioner for the digital economy, was quoted as saying in Brussels that future proposals would be sourced from a group of experts that include Silicon Valley tech firms, academics, journalists, and other notable figures in the field.

The term “fake news” was used and made popular by US President Donald Trump.