Negotiators from the EU countries and the European Parliament have reached an agreement on new European rules against fake news on the internet. The law requires large internet platforms such as Facebook and Google to take action against fake news and disinformation. This must be limited in advance and, if necessary, removed afterward.
Online platforms like Facebook and Twitter will also be prohibited from targeting ads based on audiences' beliefs or sexual orientation. Moreover, minors will receive extra protection against personalized advertisements. The European Commission will oversee the work of platforms and search engines, which will also have to pay for this supervision.
The agreements now concluded in Brussels will still be submitted to the EU countries and the European Parliament in the coming period. After a transition period, the new rules are expected to take effect from mid-2024. According to EU ministers and politicians, the new legislation should ensure that "what is illegal offline is also illegal online."
“This legislation is a breakthrough in how we tackle disinformation and fake news. Big tech companies must from now on cancel automated bots and fake accounts and cooperate with independent fact-checkers. That is a big step forward,” said Dutch State Secretary Van Huffelen.
“For twenty years, the EU had no laws on digital services, while that sector developed extremely rapidly. What is illegal in the real world must also be illegal online, so that our children, elderly, and all of us are safe on the internet,” said PvdA Member of the European Parliament Paul Tang.