The European Union has put together a team of "experts, journalists and academics" specifically to assess the growing danger of fake news and find ways to fight back.
The team of 39 experts, which held its first meeting Monday, is tasked with establishing how big the problem is, who should combat fake news and how.
The European commissioner responsible for digital affairs, Mariya Gabriel, says that “fake news is spreading at a worrying rate. It threatens the reputation of the media and the well-being of our democracies.”
The European Commission will expect the new expert team's recommendations by the end of April.
The AP points out the team's creation follows on the heels of French President Emmanuel Macron announcing he wants legislation in place that would ban fake news during French elections.
In his new year’s speech to journalists at the Élysée palace, Macron said he would shortly present the new law in order to fight the spread of fake news, which he said threatened liberal democracies.
New legislation for websites would include more transparency about sponsored content. Under the new law, websites would have to say who is financing them and the amount of money for sponsored content would be capped.
For fake news published during election seasons, an emergency legal action could allow authorities to remove that content or even block the website, Macron said. “If we want to protect liberal democracies, we must be strong and have clear rules,” he added.
EU tasks experts to find ways to fight fake news (AP)
Emmanuel Macron promises ban on fake news during elections (The Guardian)