EU sets up expert group on fake news and holds public consultation

On Monday, the European Commission announced plans to set up an expert group to advise the Commission on fake news. In addition, a public consultation on the subject is being held.

The Commission is calling on experts to register for the so-called ‘High-Level Group’. These should help to, among other things, ‘map the phenomenon, determine the roles and responsibilities of the various parties and make recommendations’. The group, which should ultimately consist of experts from science, online platforms, news companies and civil society organizations, will start work in January 2018.

The Commission intends to use the public consultation to determine the extent of the fake news phenomenon. In addition, the measures that have already been taken by news companies and platforms so far must be examined. These parties must also be able to make their views known in this way, together with citizens, researchers and governments. Finally, the consultation should serve to outline possible future measures. It is possible until 23 February to submit views via a special website.

Andrus Ansip, EU Commissioner for the Digital Market, says a ‘balanced approach is needed that takes into account freedom of expression, the diversity of the media and the right of citizens to access diverse and reliable information’. According to Frans Timmermans, Vice-President of the European Commission. we live in a time when ‘the flow of information and disinformation has become almost overwhelming’. Therefore, citizens should have opportunities to identify fake news.

Tech companies have already taken several measures to combat the spread of fake news in the past, including Google and Facebook. The EU has repeatedly called on companies in the past to take more action against the phenomenon.