Making online platforms responsible for news content

By Klára Votavova, Jakub Janda, for European Values

This paper aims to contribute to the highly salient debate on fake news and hate speech by analysing possible ways of online platforms’ regulation. The paper firstly outlines the main challenges currently posed by the rapid spread of hate speech and fake news to democracy. Secondly, it describes the sheer influence of online platforms on contemporary media consumption, the duopolistic position of Facebook and Google in the global digital advertising market and the vast legal protections these online platforms currently enjoy in both the EU and the US. The paper then proceeds to a comprehensive overview of relevant proposals and initiatives, put forward by governments, but also the civil society, the private sector and the platforms themselves. Available in PDF.

By Klára Votavova, Jakub Janda, for European Values

Klára Votavová – Kremlin Watch Programme Member

Jakub Janda – Head of the Kremlin Watch Programme

Kremlin Watch is a strategic program of the European Values Think-Tank, which aims to expose and confront instruments of Russian influence and disinformation operations focused against Western democracies.