French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a law against so-called fake news. He wanted to prevent untrue allegations on Internet, particularly during election campaign, said Macron on his first New Year's speech to press. The aim is to "protect democratic life from se false news".

Fake news usually refers to false reports or news that is erroneously represented as a fact. They played a central role in 2016 US election campaign in particular. At that time, on platforms like Facebook or Twitter, falsified, freely invented undhetzerische messages were circulating. Later US President Donald Trump contributed his part by spreading false reports and lies and questioning integrity of classical US media. Only months later it turned out which range and thus influence had false reports: for example, Russian Politanzeigen, which had been switched via Facebook, were seen by company of a total of 126 million users.

In April of this year, French presidential campaign was also affected: with fake videos and news, supporters of right-wing extreme candidate Marine Le Pen had made a mood. For example, y stoked fears of refugees, violent youth and, last but not least, liberal Macron, who was already in polls before candidate of Front National.

Higher transparency requirement for Facebook and Co

The French head of state now wants to enforce with new law that Internet platforms will be subject to an "increased transparency obligation" in future. The aim should be to make public identities of those who control content so placed, says Macron. It should become clearer who is behind paid content. In addition, it should be possible for persons concerned to call a judge by an emergency procedure in order to delete content, to close affected user account or to have access to websites blocked.

In social networks, "All over world, myths invented in all languages, to pollute a political leader, a personality, a person of public life or a journalist," criticized Macron. Last spring, he had already accused Russian media of influencing election campaign to his detriment. The broadcasters Sputnik and Russia Today (RT) called it "organs of influence and liary propaganda". RT is now also producing a television programme in French.

The US intelligence services also see it as proven that Russia has taken influence during election campaign between Democrat Hillary Clinton and later winner Donald Trump. Russia denies this.

Among or things, on political pressure, companies we have responded to Facebook or Twitter last year and took first action against fake news. For example, in France, in spring 2017, Facebook went against 30,000 suspected fake accounts, and manager Shabnam Shaik was part of a blog post. In United States, a warning triangle was provided for possible false news.

In Germany, network search law came into force at beginning of year. The major social networks must in future remove "obvious rechtswidrigeInhalte" such as sedition, threat, insult or übleNachrede within 24 hours of receiving a complaint. This is controversial: critics speak of censorship and complain that online portals carry out sovereign tasks during examinations, which are responsibility of State.

Date Of Update: 04 January 2018, 12:02