Media law in the fight against fake news

Social Media Fake NewsSocial Media is often used to spread fake news. Photo: Pixabay.com

Minister of Culture adopts a law in the fight against fake news

Norwegian Minister of Culture, Trine Skei Grande (Liberals), wish to regulate media responsibility through an amendment to the criminal code, which makes it easier to sue journalists and editors for spreading fake news.

 

As the scheme works today, the Professional Committee for the Press (PFU) takes care of the complaints regarding ethics in the Norwegian press. There is, therefore, no comprehensive legislation.

Now, Grande, who calls herself the Minister of Media and Democracy, argues that the media situation in the world has made it necessary to adopt a media responsibility act, she says to Dagsavisen.

The spreading effect of fake news, which has increased in scope recently, is the reason why the Cabinet Minister believes that legal action is required.

Issued for review

The proposal is already issued for review, and the Minister of Culture hopes it will both raise the journalistic ideals and clarify the content responsibility of journalists and editors.

– It works like this; If you write something that violates the principles laid down by the law, then I can drag you and your editor before the court, she tells the newspaper.

With the law in hand, Grande hopes to provide a quality stamp to the media that follows the ethical rules. She also wants to have a clarification of the editorial responsibility for what is published in the comments areas.

– We propose that it be the editor’s responsibility to remove illegal comments within a reasonable time frame, she rounds of the interview.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today