The European Union, today, launched a public consultation on fake news and online disinformation and set up a High-level expert group representing academics, online platforms, news media and civil society organisations
The work of the high-level expert group as well as the results of the public consultation will contribute to the development of an EU- level strategy on how to tackle the spreading of fake news, to be presented in Spring 2018.
The first vice-president of the european Commission said:
“The freedom to receive and impart information and the pluralism of the media are enshrined in the EU’s charter of fundamental rights. We live in an era where the flow of information and misinformation has become almost overwhelming. That is why we need to give our citizens the tools to identify fake news, improve trust online, and manage the information they receive”
The vice-president for the digital single market added:
“We need to find a balanced approach between the freedom of expression, media pluralism and a citizens’ right to access diverse and reliable information. All the relevant players like online plaftorms or news media should play a part in the solution”
The commissioner responsible for digital economy and society stated:
“At the heart of my action lies the defence of citizens’ right to quality information which is a cornerstone of our democracies. I want to have an open and broad discussion about fake news to address this complex phenomenon in order to overcome the challenges ahead of us”