UK to force internet companies to curb foreign ‘disinformation’

Bloomberg — With amendments to its new online safety law, the UK will force owners of applications such as social networks and search engines to curb…for “State-related disinformation” or face heavy fines.

Platform owner where people can post their own content, they will have a legal obligation to proactively reduce posts supported by foreign governments intended to “disturb the UK”, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said in a statement on Monday.

Otherwise, Ofcom regulators will have the power to imposes a fine of up to 10% of its annual global sales, within the powers granted by the forthcoming Online Security Bill.

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, companies including Alphabet Inc’s Google (GOOG) block Kremlin-related outlets such as news network RT, formerly known as Russia Today.

Disinformation is often disseminated by many fake personas, with the aim of making real users unknowingly ‘share it’,” said Security Minister Damian Hinds. in the statement. “We need major online platforms to do more to identify and disrupt this kind of coordinated inauthentic behavior.”

Roderick Gilbert

"Entrepreneur. Internet fanatic. Certified zombie scholar. Friendly troublemaker. Bacon expert."

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