United Nations: 20 countries sign agreement to fight 'fake news'

In the 74th United Nations, General Assembly on September 27 twenty countries including France, Britain, and India signed an agreement that entirely aims to stop the spread of 'fake news'. These countries have come together to promote independent, diverse and reliable information on the internet under an accord which was initiated by a press freedom watchdog, Reporters Without Borders. The main agenda of this inter-governmental accord is to promote democratic principles in the online public arena. 

The world of information

Reportedly, the Foreign Minister of France, Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the emergence of a global digital space is dismantling the world of information which has its progress as well as its own risks. On the sidelines of the sessions in New York, Le Drian also said that misinformation, especially during the election campaigns, undermine the trust in democratic institutions. According to Reporters Without Borders, the agreement also underlines the role of internet providers to promote reliable content along with a source to escape the chaos of misinformation. 

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Fake accounts and agenda-setting

Last week, on September 20, both Twitter and Facebook removed 365 fake accounts which were linked to conservative Popular Party of Spain, ahead of elections. Reportedly, they were used to influence the opinions of the public and sometimes, also to spread spam. Twitter said that those accounts were identified as “falsely” boosting sentiments of the public. Earlier this year, on the World Press Freedom Day, discussions started taking place globally of the rising fake news and misinformation that is currently dominating. Hussein Abdi Adam also said that disinformation is “rampant”  in Somalia and since everyone has smartphones, it is difficult to deal with people who engage with the fake news. Jeremy Hunt, the visiting British foreign secretary has also said at an audience address that media freedom is not a luxury for developing countries. 

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The government in Thailand on announced on  August 21 the plan to set up a combat center for news that is unverified especially on social media platforms, rejecting the concerns of free speech. Thailand's Minister of Digital Economy and Society even said that fake news is embedded within every aspect of society. Furthermore, according to a survey, half of the population in the United States consider fake news a major problem and they even blame politicians along with activists for it. People also believe that it is the responsibility of the journalists to fix the current situation. 

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