Fake news is a global problem that challenges how we share information and perceive
the world around us. Evidence of home-grown and foreign online influence operations
has caused alarm and concern among politicians and voters. There are fears that
democratic institutions and national elections are under threat from mis-, dis-, and malinformation shared on a huge scale online and on social media platforms. Mob
lynchings and other violence based on false rumours have turned fake news into an
emergency in some parts of the world, costing lives and causing significant problems
for societies. This has prompted a number of governments to adopt measures ranging
from legislative and legal action to media literacy and public awareness campaigns to
fight the spread of disinformation.
In addition, international pressure on tech and social media giants has been increasing
to urgently address the spread of disinformation on their platforms or face the
possibility of fines or regulation. However, rights groups have also argued that the fight
against disinformation and fake news has been used to make unjustified arrests or
pass repressive laws that primarily aim to silence political dissent and limit freedom of
speech and expression.
In this report, BBC Monitoring’s specialist Disinformation Team investigates fake news
landscapes around the world and analyses a range of measures adopted by
governments to combat disinformation. The analysis provides geopolitical context with
timely, relevant examples from 19 countries in four continents (with a particular focus
on European nations). The team also reports on the European Union because of its
size, power, and influence.
Authors
- Published in
- United Kingdom
