Germany Gets Serious With Fake News, Facebook Could Face Fines Over Inaction

At least one country seems to be taking the rapid proliferation of fake news in Facebook seriously, with Germany’s leaders actually considering legislative options with regards to the trend. The EU nation is now considering the implementation of new laws that would effectively force social media sites like Facebook to take real action against fake news or face substantial fines. Those who write and publish fake news could also be thrown in jail.

In a recent interview with the German publication, Bild am Sonntag, Justice Minister Heiko Maas insisted that it is time for legislators in the country to consider punishing social media sites if they don’t move on fake news soon, as well as those who write fake news. Maas said that free speech does not protect users who commit slander, which is something that is taken more seriously in Germany than in the U.S, Reuters reports.

"Defamation and malicious gossip are not covered under freedom of speech," Maas told the newspaper. "Justice authorities must prosecute that, even on the internet. Anyone who tries to manipulate the political discussion with lies needs to be aware (of the consequences)."

Maas also said that the offending parties could face up to five years of jail time. This reaction from German legislators is a direct impact of the influence that fake news had with regards to swaying the U.S. election. German officials are also alarmed by the prospect of Russian interference that could have led to the victory of Donald Trump as president.

Along with fake news, German officials are also warning social media sites to increase their fight against hate speech, The Guardian reports. Among the measures that the officials want online tech giants to implement include better registration processes for filing complaints, as well as to have the complaints published for everyone to see.

If the social media and tech sites fail to meet these requirements or fail to remove hate speech posts within 24 hours, they could be looking at €500,000 in fines. This applies to just one case as well. For every reported case that the companies don’t act on, the fines could easily pile up.