LIBE Presentation

How many times have you read a news story that you thought was true, but turned out to be false? Since when has this type of disinformation and misinformation existed? What measures are being taken to eradicate fake news? Disinformation is an ongoing problem in our day, but it is not something that happened overnight.

The printing press was invented in 1450, a device that revolutionized the world. With it, it became possible to reproduce pages without having to do so by hand, thus saving months of transcription time for books. 150 years later, the first newspaper in history was published in Germany, allowing many who had not previously had the opportunity to stay informed about current events. However, once certain groups gained the power to spread news that benefited them, they wouldn't hesitate to do so. Nowadays, we have access to all human knowledge in the palm of our hand, and news can reach any part of the world in seconds. The issue is that not all news is true. While self-interest contributes to widespread misinformation, other factors also play a role in this complex situation. The more sensational the news, the longer consumers tend to stay engaged with it, which translates into higher profits for the media. In recent years, technological advancements have completely transformed how we interact, communicate, and access information about the world.

Misinformation Today

The most used media by young people are social networks. Who hasn’t used TikTok or Instagram as a source of information? The problem with these sources is that they are often not considered reliable, especially by adults who warn that they can be deceptive and dangerous. As mentioned earlier, ever since newspapers emerged as a form of mass communication, instances of false information have been a concern. This poses a danger to everyone, especially those who are more susceptible to believing misleading content. For this reason, the European Union has implemented measures to prevent this issue, and while they have been somewhat successful, it has not been completely eradicated. These measures primarily assist consumers in verifying data.

European Union Initiatives

The EU has implemented various measures to combat misinformation, such as the 'Action Plan Against Disinformation', which outlines strategies for improving detection and analysis capabilities, raising awareness, enhancing societal resilience, promoting coordinated responses, and securing cooperation from online platforms and the advertising sector. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there was a surge in fake news, prompting the EU to introduce another set of measures to combat it, known as 'Communication: The Fight Against Disinformation about COVID-19', and the launch of the COVID-19 Disinformation Monitoring Program. These initiatives aimed to promote transparency, accountability, and address the proliferation of false information during a critical period.

LIBE Commission

To address these challenges within the European Parliament model, the LIBE Commission has been established. Its purpose is to educate young people about the issue and foster understanding of how to combat it through mutually agreed-upon measures. These 15 delegates will address disinformation as parliamentarians, exchanging ideas in an informed environment with the goal of reaching a consensus-based resolution to tackle the urgent problem of fake news.