EU Officials Want Social Media Commitments to Combat Fake News

Online platforms should commit to a code of principles to combat online disinformation, the European Commission’s High-Level Expert Group told Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society Mariya Gabriel Monday. The group emphasized the term “online disinformation” over fake news, calling the latter an “inadequate term.” The group recommended online platforms commit to algorithm transparency on news visibility and allow more visibility for reputable news sources. The report was sent to Gabriel the day of release of a Eurobarometer survey. More than 80 percent said fake news is a “danger to democracy.” Traditional media on radio, TV and print is trusted by, respectively, 70 percent, 66 percent and 63 percent, while online news sources and video hosting websites had 26 percent and 27 percent.