A Guide To Anti-Misinformation Actions Around The World - Poynter

12/3/2021 A guide to anti-misinformation actions around the world - Poynter
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MediaWise in the News
A guide to anti-
misinformation
actions around the
world
By Daniel Funke and Daniela Flamini
BRUSSELS — In mid-March 2018, a European Commission high-level group

published its final report on misinformation, drawing upon the input of
experts from around the world who gathered over several weeks to help the
European Union figure out what to do about misinformation.
The report created by the high-level group — announced in November 2017 to

help the EU craft policies to address growing concern about misinformation in
Europe — contains an inclusive, collaborative approach to addressing
misinformation around the world (Disclosure: Poynter attended the meetings
as one of the experts).
The report, while imperfect, explicitly recommends not regulating against

misinformation — but the EU is only one of many governing bodies that have
sought to stem the flow of online misinformation over the past few months.
Spanning from Brazil to South Korea, these efforts raise questions about
infringing free speech guarantees and are frequently victims of uncertainty.
The muddying of the definition of fake news, the relative reach of which is still
being studied, hinders governments’ ability to accomplish anything effective.
In the spirit of this confusion, explained in detail in a Council of Europe

report, Poynter has created a guide for existing attempts to legislate against
what can broadly be referred to as online misinformation. While not every law
contained here relates to misinformation specifically, they’ve all often been
wrapped into that broader discussion. We have attempted to label different
interventions as clearly as possible.
Since these efforts seem to be announced weekly, this article will be updated
on an ongoing basis. If you catch an error or know of an update in one of our
summaries, email dfunke@poynter.org or use the Google Form at the bottom
of this page and we’ll update as soon as possible.
Here's where governments

are taking action against
online misinformation
Law Media literacy Bill Internet shutdowns Law e
(Map: Daniel Funke)
Share
Australia | Bahrain | Bangladesh | Belarus | Belgium | Benin |

Brazil | Burkina Faso | Cambodia | Cameroon | Canada | Chile |
China | Côte d’Ivoire | Croatia | Democratic Republic of Congo |
Denmark | Egypt | France | Germany | India | Indonesia | Ireland
| Israel | Italy | Kazakhstan | Kenya | Malaysia | Mexico |
Myanmar | The Netherlands | Nigeria | Oman | Pakistan | The
Philippines | Russia | Rwanda| Saudi Arabia | Singapore | South
Korea | Spain | Sri Lanka | Sweden | Taiwan | Tanzania |
Thailand | Turkey | Uganda | United Arab Emirates | United
Kingdom | United States | Vietnam
Download the entire database in CSV format
Australia
Action: Government task force and media literacy campaign
Focus: Foreign disinformation campaigns* and media literacy
In June 2018, four units of the government set up a task force to identify
potential cyberattacks and foreign influence campaigns targeting upcoming
Australian elections.
The Electoral Integrity Assurance Task Force is led by the Home Affairs
Department and was created amid ongoing warnings from the intelligence
community about foreign interference in Australia, the Special
Broadcasting Service reported.
In February of 2019, an investigation by the ABC revealed that the Australian

Electoral Commission notified Twitter and Facebook they must comply with
notifications of illegal ads on their platform. (In Australia, political ads are
required to make transparent the author and funder.) The AEC threatened the
social media giants with court injunctions if they do not comply.
In April, they also launched a “Stop and Consider” campaign encouraging

voters to pay attention to the sources of their information in light of the
federal elections held in May.
*This effort does not directly target misinformation, as others have reported.
Bahrain
Action: Arrests
Focus: Media regulation
In May 2019, a lawyer was arrested in Bahrain for “publishing fake news that
could harm the public order” on social media.
The Associated Press reported that prosecutors cited the lawyer’s past tweets,
which questioned the government’s ability to protect the public, as the
primary reason for his arrest. Freedom House has rated Bahrain’s press as
“not free.”
Bangladesh
Action: Law and arrests
Focus: Propaganda and media regulation
In October 2018, the Bangladeshi government passed a bill that imprisons

people for spreading “propaganda” about the 1971 war in which the country
won independence from Pakistan. It also bans the posting of “aggressive and
frightening” content.
The Economist reported that journalists were concerned. In August, a

photographer was arrested for “spreading false information” after speaking in
support of a student protest. He faces up to seven years in prison for spreading
false news against the government under an act that has already been used to
detain dozens of social media users over the past year, according to Freedom
House.
In January, the Dhaka Tribune reported that 22 people had been arrested on
cybercrime charges in the past two months. Of those, several were imprisoned
for allegedly spreading on social media anti-state rumors and doctored photos
of government leaders.
As Reuters reported in December, the Bangladesh government itself has been

known to spread misinformation online. Facebook and Twitter removed fake
accounts and pages linked to the state days ahead of an election.
Belarus
Action: Law
Focus: Misinformation
On June 14, 2018, lawmakers passed controversial amendments to Belarus’

media laws that allow the government to prosecute people who spread false
information online.
One lawmaker said the legislation, which also allows for social media and
other websites to be blocked if found in violation of the law, is aimed at
bolstering citizens’ rights while also strengthening state information security.
On June 8, the Committee to Protect Journalists came out against the

legislation, saying that it — in addition to separate legislation that aims to
tighten Belarusian media regulations — could lead to more selective
prosecution of journalists. According to Freedom House, the country already
has no press freedom.
Belgium
Action: Expert group and media literacy campaign
In early May 2018, Belgian Minister for the Digital Agenda Alexander De Croo
announced two initiatives aimed at curbing the spread of misinformation
online.
First, the government established an expert group of journalists and scholars

to come up with potential solutions by June 25, 2018. Second, it launched a
website to inform people about misinformation and implement a Reddit style
of upvoting and downvoting proposed solutions from the government. A
public debate also took place in Brussels on May 17.
Benin
Action: Arrests
In April 2019, a journalist in Benin was arrested for allegedly spreading false
information about the Beninese economy on social media.
The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that Casimir Kpedjo, editor of

the daily publication Nouvelle Economie, wasn’t technically charged with a
crime but still had to appear before the authorities. The charges stemmed
from two articles that Kpedjo wrote about the economy.
If convicted, he faces up to six months in prison or a fine of up to $1,692, CPJ

reported. Freedom House has rated Benin’s press as “partly free.”
Brazil
Action: Government task force, 20 draft bills, platform agreements and
government fact-checking
Focus: Election misinformation
The Federal Police’s announcement of a task force to “identify and punish

the authors of ‘fake news’” first in the form of a tweeted statement Jan. 9, 2018.
Polícia Federal dará início nos próximos dias em Brasília às atividades de um

grupo especial formado para combater notícias falsas durante o processo
eleitoral. A medida tem o objetivo de identificar e punir autores de “fake
news” contra ou a favor dos candidatos. pic.twitter.com/ZDSAt4p1BL
— FENAPEF (@FENAPEF) January 9, 2018
That move mainly targets fake news stories dealing with October’s
presidential election and echoes French President Emmanuel Macron’s own
effort to curtail electoral misinformation. Agência Pública has also collected,
20 draft bills in the Brazilian Congress as of May 11, 2018, aimed at
criminalizing the distribution of misinformation online ahead of the election.
The penalties range from fines starting at R$1,500 ($400) to up to eight years
of in prison for crimes ranging from spreading fake news stories on social
media to publishing inaccurate press accounts.
Despite the intense interest, what legislation will actually look like is still
unclear. Lawmakers disagree over who should be punished for the
dissemination of misinformation — creators, sharers or content providers.
The bills also vary in terms of which parts of the law they propose to alter.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian government has also entered into an agreement with
Facebook and Google that pledges the platforms to “combat disinformation
generated by third parties,” The Rio Times reported in late June 2018.
However, the two-page document doesn’t include any new initiatives that the
companies are starting specifically in Brazil. Supreme Court Justice Luiz Fux
signed a similar agreement with Brazilian political parties earlier that month.
In October, the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) launched its own “multimedia
fact-checking page” that lists fact-checks, or “clarifications,” of information
that was circulated ahead of the 2018 elections.
Burkina Faso
Action: Law
In June 2019, Burkina Faso’s parliament adopted a law that seeks to punish the
publication of “fake news” information compromising security operations,
false information about rights abuses or destruction of property, or images
and audio from a ‘terrorist’ attack.”
Offenders could face fines up to £7,000 or up to 10 years in jail, but the law is
still awaiting presidential approval.
Rights groups and media watchdogs criticized the law, saying it was an
attempt at censoring journalists’ work and reporting on national security
issues.
Cambodia
Action: Law and state broadcasts
Cambodia expanded its crackdown on misinformation in the weeks leading up

to the country’s late July 2018 election.
In May, the government passed a measure that gave it the authority to block
media that it thinks threatens national security. The new expansion of the law
means people could be jailed for two years and fined $1,000 for publishing
fake news. The Guardian reported that three ministries have been assigned
to monitor social media posts for potential violations.
It’s still unclear how the government is defining fake news. Deutsche Welle
reported that one spokesperson for the ruling party said the law would apply
“to some media in which they use the wrong information.”
In January 2019, The Cambodia Daily reported that the government was
launching a live TV program during which it will address misinformation.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has also begun using the term “fake news” in recent
years to discredit dissent or opposition. In June 2019, Reuters reported that a
translator had been sentenced for jail for two years for his role in creating a
documentary about sex trafficking the government said contained “fake news.”
Other governments and organizations condemned the sentence, and a

representative from Human Rights Watch suggested it was a move to cover up
issues of poverty and sex work the country faces.
Cameroon
Action: Arrests
In the global crackdown on misinformation, Cameroon has emerged as a key

detainer of journalists.
According to CPJ’s annual census of imprisoned journalists, the country jailed

four journalists for false news in 2018 — the second most in the world, after
Egypt. The Washington Post reported in December that journalists covering
violence between separatists and the government were primary targets.
Poynter profiled a couple of the journalists imprisoned and released on false
news charges in January.
Under Cameroonian law, it’s illegal to report “any news without being able to
prove either its truth or that he had good reason to believe it to be true,” The
Post reported.
In October of 2018, the Cameroonian government met with two Facebook

officials in Yaoundé for a two-hour meeting to discuss the spread of
misinformation and cybercrimes on the platform.
Canada
Action: Media literacy campaign, government task force
Focus: Media literacy, foreign disinformation campaigns
In January 2019, the Canadian government announced a multi-pronged effort

to combat misinformation ahead of elections in the fall.
First, CTV reported that the government created a “Critical Election Incident
Public Protocol” that will monitor and notify other agencies and the public
about disinformation attempts. That task force will be led by five non-
political officials and is an addition to a “rapid response mechanism” housed
within the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Second, the government called on social media platforms to do more to

combat disinformation ahead of the election. The move comes in tandem with
Bill C-76, legislation that aims to compel tech companies to be more
transparent about their anti-disinformation and advertising policies.
Third, Canada announced it was giving $7 million to projects aimed at

increasing public awareness of misinformation online.
Then in May, the country announced the launch of its digital charter, which
states “The Government of Canada will defend freedom of expression and
protect against online threats and disinformation designed to undermine the
integrity of elections and democratic institutions.” Sixteen government entities
and eight entities signed the charter.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it was designed to target fake news and
hate speech and to hold social media platforms accountable to their role in
allowing disinformation to spread.
Trudeau also implied that there would be “meaningful penalties” for tech
companies that don’t comply, but the charter does not outline how fines
would work, nor does it quality a definition for “fake news.”
Chile
Action: Bill
In February 2019, the Chilean Senate introduced a bill that would punish
politicians nationwide for “the dissemination, promotion or financing of false
news.” The specifics of the bill, which still has to be analyzed by the
Constitution, Legislation, Justice and Regulation Commission, are still
unclear.
China
Action: Laws and online reporting portal
China has some of the strictest laws in the world when it comes to
misinformation.
In 2016, the government criminalized creating or spreading rumors that

“undermine economic and social order,” Foreign Policy reported. Another law
in 2017 requires social media platforms to solely republish and link to news
articles from registered news media. This year, authorities went one step
further and started requiring microblogging sites to highlight and refute
rumors on their platforms.
In late August 2018, Chinese authorities launched an app that lets people
report potential fakery. Reuters reported that the app, which also leverages
artificial intelligence to automatically detect rumors, has accounts on
platforms like Weibo and WeChat, on which it broadcasts reports from state-
owned media.
Côte d’Ivoire
Action: Arrests
Côte d’Ivoire minister Alain Lobognan was imprisoned on “false news”

charges after tweeting about how a state prosecutor had arrested another MP.
The arrest was made under the country’s anti-false news law, which it has
used to jail journalists. But Lobognan said he was arrested for political
reasons — not spreading false information. Freedom House classified Côte
d’Ivoire media as “partly free” in its annual census.
Côte d’Ivoire is just the latest sub-Saharan African country to imprison

someone on false news charges for a tweet, albeit among the few that have
imprisoned politicians.
Croatia
Action: Bills
Focus: Hate speech*
Borrowing from similar efforts in Germany, the Croatian government

announced in January 2018 that it’s working on a law to halt the spread of hate
speech and misinformation on social media platforms.
The bill, which primarily takes aim at Facebook, endeavors to primarily

educate citizens as opposed to sanctioning the spread of misinformation.
While fact-checkers aren’t too sure about the specifics, experts say hate speech
seems like a more natural area of regulation for lawmakers in Europe.
The draft bill is the product of a working group from the Central State Office
for Digital Society, which concluded that hate speech, public incitement to
violence and the spread of fake news should all be addressed in one law (only
the first two are covered by the criminal code). The legislation was scheduled
to be released by June 2018.
*This law does not have enforceable mechanisms to combat misinformation, as

others have reported.
Democratic Republic of Congo

Action: Government WhatsApp account
Amid an ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo, the government created a

WhatsApp tip line to field misinformation about the disease.
Science magazine reported in January that the government had recruited

young people to report potentially false information on the app, whose
encryption makes it impossible to monitor content as it’s shared. Then,
“communications experts rebut them with accurate information via
WhatsApp or local radio.”
Denmark
Action: Task force, media literacy campaign and government action plan*
Focus: Misinformation and media literacy
Taking a page from Sweden’s playbook in the fight against misinformation, the
Danish government has set up a task force for addressing misinformation.
The group, which formed in September 2017, is responsible for developing

responses to widespread misinformation campaigns and foreign
disinformation attacks. A task force within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was
also set up to discover new pieces of misinformation online, TjekDet.dk
reported.
Danish authorities bolstered their efforts to get ahead of misinformation

problems by repurposing some media literacy material from Sweden. The
government is distributing brochures with tips on how to avoid falling for
misinformation.
Finally, the Danish government came up with a plan to avoid foreign

interference in the May 2019 parliamentary elections. Among the action items
include strengthening the Police Intelligence Service and the Defense
Intelligence Service, as well as closer dialogue with the media companies and
political parties.
*This does not directly address misinformation, as others have reported.
Egypt
The Egyptian government is now regulating social media accounts with large
followings in an alleged attempt to cut down on misinformation.
Under the law, which passed in mid-July 2018, any account or blog with more
than 5,000 followers on sites like Facebook and Twitter will be treated like a
media outlet, which — under the country’s existing laws — can be prosecuted
for publishing “fake news.” The Supreme Council for the Administration of the
Media will oversee the legislation’s enforcement.
In addition to punishing those who publish false information, the law requires
websites to obtain a license from the Supreme Council or face suspension,
fines or getting blocked altogether. The legislation, which doesn’t define fake
news, was approved after consultation with journalists and other experts,
Reuters reported.
While supporters of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi say the new law safeguards
freedom of expression, detractors point to Egypt’s penchant for jailing
journalists on “fake news” charges as an indicator that it’s just a media
censorship tactic. The country has no press freedom, according to Freedom
House.
In September, the government began arresting people on “fake news” charges.

One human rights activist was sentenced to two years in prison after posting a
video criticizing the government over the level of sexual harassment in the
country, the BBC reported. In October, an author was arrested on similar
charges for his book challenging Egypt’s economic policies. Even the son of
jailed former president Mohamed Morsi has been detained under the fake
news law.
In December, CPJ found in its annual census of imprisoned journalists that

Egypt leads the world in detaining journalists on “false news” charges with 19.
CPJ called the arrests “fresh waves of repression,” and journalists there told
Poynter they’re afraid to do their jobs for fear of arrest.
In March 2019, The Associated Press reported that the Egyptian government
had tightened its regulations on the media. “(The) Supreme Media Regulatory
Council can now block websites and some social media accounts with more
than 5,000 followers for ‘fake news’ and can levy harsh fines up to up to
250,000 Egyptian pounds ($14,400) without having to get a court order,” it
wrote. News outlets that don’t adhere to the regulations can be fined up to
$298,000.
France
Action: Law
Focus: Election misinformation

In early January 2018, President Macron told journalists that he would be

presenting a new law to fight the spread of misinformation during elections.
The law, which passed in November, provides a definition of “fake news”:

“Inexact allegations or imputations, or news that falsely report facts, with the
aim of changing the sincerity of a vote.” It’s designed to enact strict rules on
the media during electoral campaigns and, more specifically, in the three
months preceding any vote.
The legislation gives authorities the power to remove fake content spread via
social media and even block the sites that publish it, as well as enforce more
financial transparency for sponsored content, in the three months before
election periods. That builds upon an 1881 law that outlaws the dissemination
of “false news.”
The law contains three major provisions. First, a judge is authorized to act
“proportionally” but “with any means” to halt the dissemination of
misinformation before elections. For the judge to act, a specific request must
be filed by political groups, public authorities or individuals. The judge “acts
within a delay of 48 hours from the notification.”
Second, platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube will be required to

publish who has purchased sponsored content or campaign ads and for what
price. That component takes a page from the United States’ Honest Ads
legislation, which applies existing standards for TV and radio stations to
social media.
And finally, the law grants the Higher Audiovisual Council (CSA), the
broadcasting regulator, new administrative and executive powers to ensure
that platforms abide by the law. It will “publish a regular report” regarding
the effectiveness of measures enacted by platforms. Additionally, the CSA can
now “unilaterally” revoke the broadcast rights of TV and radio outlets
operating on French territory who are found to work “under the control or
influence of a foreign state” and “disseminate misinformation.”
After the French Constitutional Council published its opinion on the law May
4, 2018, the Cultural Affairs Committee of Parliament debated and amended
the text to target the “manipulation of information” instead of “fake news.”
The change reportedly protected satire from penalization under the

regulation.
French lawmakers debated the proposed law on June 7, and it passed in early
July. During election periods, the legislation will allow candidates to sue for
the removal of contested news stories, Politico reported, and tech platforms
will have to disclose the funding sources for sponsored content.
But it’s been met with pushback. More than 50 senators from the French
Republican Party (LR) and the Centrist Union group appealed to the
Constitutional court over the law, which is among the first of its kind in
Europe. The lawmakers of the opposition parties argued that the law falls
short of the principle of proportional justice, 20minutes reported.
In December, the law was validated by the Constitutional Council and enacted
three days later.
And since then, it’s had some interesting results. In April 2019, The
Independent reported that Twitter had banned a government-sponsored
voting campaign since it seemed to violate the French law’s advertising
transparency standards.
Germany
Action: Law
Focus: Hate speech*
Having gone into effect Jan. 1, 2018, Germany’s law against hate speech on
Facebook is perhaps the most realized — but often misunderstood — effort to
quell potentially harmful content online.
The law, titled “Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz” (NetzDG), forces online

platforms to remove “obviously illegal” posts within 24 hours or risk fines of
up to €50 million. Aimed at social networks with more than 2 million
members — such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter — the law was passed in
June 2017 and gave platforms until the end of the year to prepare for the
regulation.
The law’s implementation points to the Bundestag’s willingness to move

against questionable online content, but its enforcement has been rocky. A
satirical magazine called Titanic published a piece with insults and was
banned from Twitter, and even the minister of justice — who helped author
the NetzDG — had his tweets censored.
In early March 2018, officials considered revising the law following criticism
that too much content was being blocked. Among those revisions includes
allowing users to get incorrectly deleted content restored, as well as pushing
social media companies to set up independent bodies to review questionable
posts.
*This law does not have enforceable mechanisms to combat misinformation, as

India
Action: Database, proposed state law, proposed law amendment and internet
shutdowns
A state government in India is considering creating legislation aimed at

punishing purveyors of online misinformation — specifically doctored
photographs.
The Economic Times reported in mid-June 2018 that West Bengal officials
want to clarify how the state could additionally prosecute the publication of
misinformation. Currently, citizens can be jailed in the state for posting
misinformation if it causes fear or alarm in the public.
In addition to bolstering existing law, West Bengal has been preparing a

database of fake news stories distributed on social media over the past few
years. It has also kept records of past offenders, The Times reported.
The efforts come amid rising tensions related to misinformation in India.

Rumors on messaging platforms like WhatsApp have allegedly incited violence
across the country and the national government itself has tried to issue anti-
fake news guidelines in the past.
In October, Wired reported that the Indian government had turned off the
internet more than 100 times over the past year to quell the spread of rumors
on WhatsApp. In 2018, the international nonprofit Access Now documented
134 internet shutdowns in India, and a study done at Stanford found that 47%
of these took place in the politically tumultuous northern state of Jammu and
Kashmir.
Shutdowns vary from total internet blackouts to slowing down mobile

internet speed, and they’re often ordered by local governments in an attempt
to stop the spread of false rumors on WhatsApp and quell public unrest.
The shutdowns have cost the country billions of dollars and are more frequent
than in any other country, according to Freedom House. Some research also
suggests that these are ineffective, and that misinformation, political
turbulence and rioting still occur during shutdowns.
In December, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

released draft changes to the 2000 IT Act that would require social media
platforms to start tracing the originators of messages when compelled by the
government. The effort is aimed at curbing the spread of unlawful content and
misinformation on platforms like WhatsApp.
Indonesia
Action: Government task forces, arrests and site tracking
In January 2018, President Joko Widodo appointed a head of the newly formed
National Cyber and Encryption Agency to help intelligence agencies and law
enforcement efforts combat online misinformation and hoaxes before
nationwide regional polls that summer.
Reuters reported that the agency was hiring hundreds of people to “provide
protection” to institutions online. While it’s still unclear what authority the
body has, other agencies have arrested alleged perpetrators of online
misinformation. The government has also been blocking websites that publish
content deemed to be harmful for society.
The Jakarta Post reported that social media companies are also working with
the government to block and remove fake content, as well as illegal media
such as pornography. In late January, the government also deployed a tool
that allegedly automatically tracks and reports sites publishing fake news
stories.
In October, Bloomberg reported that the Indonesian government has a team of

70 engineers monitoring social media traffic 24 hours a day in an effort to
detect online misinformation. The so-called “war room,” which is housed
within the Ministry of Communications, is aimed at curbing the spread of
falsities ahead of an election in April and has the authority to remove posts
that spread false news under a 2008 law.
The government has taken other substantial actions against misinformation.

Per Bloomberg, the government has also created a website where people can
report potentially false news and figure out if it’s true or not. In September,
the communications ministry announced that it would hold weekly briefings
to debunk misinformation. And in April, officials threatened to shut down
Facebook if it failed to crack down on misinformation ahead of the election.
In November, Voice of America reported that Indonesia’s National Police had

arrested more than a dozen people who spread false information on social
media. The minimum sentence under the law is four years.
In May of 2019, the Indonesian government blocked access to certain social

media features for almost a week following violent riots that broke out
following the election of President Joko Widodo. The measure was taken in an
effort to curb the spread of hoaxes and calls for violence that had spiked on
social media networks. It prevented users on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
and WhatsApp from being able to upload photos or videos to the platforms.
In June 2019, a member of the Muslim Cyber Army was arrested in Java and
charged with spreading fake news and hate speech. The head of the Indonesian
National Police’s Detective and General Crimes cybercrime division said the
man had been responsible for spreading the unfounded fear that the
Indonesian government was being controlled by China.
Ireland
Action: Bill
Focus: Political bots and advertising*
Lawmakers introduced a bill in early December 2017 that would make using a
bot to create multiple fake accounts posing as different people spreading
political messages a criminal offense.
According to the bill, using a bot to create 25 or more personas on social

media would be punishable by up to five years in prison or fines of up to
€10,000. The legislation also takes a page from the Honest Ads bill proposed
in the U.S. Congress, eliciting widespread coverage as a law condemning all
misinformation — an error in nuance that even Poynter made.
The ruling party, which opposes the bill, lost a vote in parliament in mid-
December 2017 and it has moved on to the committee stage, where it’s unlikely
to progress further.
*This law does not deal directly with misinformation, as others have reported.
Israel
Action: Court ruling
Focus: Foreign disinformation campaigns and propaganda
The Israeli government banned the publication of anonymous internet

advertising on any platform ahead of the April 9, 2019, election.
The ruling, which came from Supreme Court Justice Hanan Melcer, went into
effect March 1. The Times of Israel reported that it banned anonymous ads
created both in Israel and abroad, and it compelled the identification of fake
accounts used for propaganda, bots, WhatsApp messages and surveys
distributed on other messaging platforms.
Italy
Action: Online reporting portal, arrest and authority report
Focus: Misinformation and fake reviews
A little more than a month before the general election, the Italian government
announced Jan. 18, 2018, that it had set up an online portal where citizens
could report misinformation to the police.
The service, which prompts users for their email addresses, a link to the fake
news story or fabricated media and any social media networks they saw it on,
ferries reports to the Polizia Postale, a unit of the state police that investigates
cybercrime. The department will fact-check them and — if laws were broken —
pursue legal action. At the very least, the service will draw upon official
sources to deny false or misleading information.
That plan came amid a national frenzy over misinformation leading into the
March 4 election and suffered from the same vagueness as the ones in Brazil,
Croatia and France: a lacking definition of what constitutes “fake news.”
In a landmark ruling in September, a man was sentenced to prison for nine

months for selling fake TripAdvisor reviews to restaurants and hotels, The
Washington Post reported. The court decided that creating a false identity to
write fraudulent reviews violated Italian law.
In late November, AGCOM, the country’s communications authority released

a report on misinformation.
Kazakhstan
Action: Criminal investigation
In March 2018, the Kazakh government opened a criminal investigation into

two news outlets for allegedly publishing false information.
According to Freedom House, Ratel and Forbes.kz faced criminal charges for
spreading false information after the outlets published stories accusing a
former top government official of corruption. After the former official filed a
formal complaint, police interrogated journalists, executed search warrants
and blocked Ratel’s website.
Under Kazakh law, “disseminating knowingly false information” carries a

maximum sentence of seven years in prison, Human Rights Watch reported.
The country scored “not free” in terms of press freedom, according to
Freedom House.
Kenya
Action: Law
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta signed a bill May 16, 2018, criminalizing 17
different types of cybercrimes, including cyberbullying, espionage and
computer forgery. And misinformation made the cut.
Under the law, people who knowingly share false or misleading information in
an attempt to make it look real can be fined up to 5,000,000 shilling (nearly
$50,000) or imprisoned for up to two years. Before Kenyatta signed the bill,
there were calls for Parliament to review it to make sure it didn’t violate free
speech provisions.
On May 10, the Committee to Protect Journalists came out against this law,
saying that it would “criminalize free speech, with journalists and bloggers
likely to be among the first victims.”
Malaysia
Action: Law
Malaysia made it a crime in early April 2018 to share misinformation,

becoming the first Southeast Asian country to do so.
Lawmakers in one house of parliament voted to repeal the legislation in mid-

August after voters booted out the governing party. The Guardian reported
that a senior official said the police would instead be given new powers to deal
with the “phenomenon” of misinformation. But the new opposition to the
government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad blocked the repeal in the
upper house of parliament in mid-September.
Malaysia’s new prime minister indicated in mid-May 2018 that he intended for
the law to stay, albeit with a clearer definition of fake news. However, on May
22, the country’s new communications and multimedia minister said the law
would be repealed, and in late June, the new government was seeking to repeal
the law by the summer.
The law makes publishing or sharing fake news punishable by up to six years
in jail and a fine of 500,000 ringgit ($128,000). It also makes online service
providers more responsible for third-party content, affects foreign news
outlets reporting on Malaysia and anyone can lodge a complaint against an
alleged purveyor of misinformation. Representatives from social media
companies like Facebook and Google met with lawmakers in Kuala Lumpur in
mid-March to get their views on the law.
The previous government opposition argued the definition of what constitutes

fake news — “any news, information, data and reports which are wholly or
partly false, whether in the form of features, visuals or audio recordings or in
any other form capable of suggesting words or ideas” — was too vague and
that the law is an effort to stifle free speech ahead of the August election.
In late April 2018, the first person arrested under the law was a Danish citizen
for “inaccurate criticism of police on social media,” Reuters reported. He
posted a YouTube video accusing Malaysian officials of taking 50 minutes to
respond to a shooting on April 21, which police said actually took eight
minutes.
Mexico
Action: Government fact-checking site
In June 2019, the newswire service Notimex, which is run by the staff of
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, launched its own fact-
checking unit named “Verificado Notimex.”
Poynter reported on how the name was identical to that of previously

launched fact-checking projects in the country, including the initiative
“VerificadoMX” and the coalition “Verificado.” Journalists and fact-checkers
from these projects accused the government of plagiarizing their brand.
Verificado Notimex claimed it would debunk false news on social media and
fact-check questionable content published by traditional media outlets.
Myanmar
In mid-October 2018, three journalists were jailed in Myanmar after

publishing a story about the Yangon regional government, which claimed the
article was false.
AP reported that the story, which was published by Eleven Media Group,
alleged that the government misused public money. Officials argued that the
editor-in-chief, managing editor and reporter of the news outlet violated a law
that prohibits the publication of “incorrect information” that causes “fear or
alarm to the public.”
The journalists could face up to two years in prison and a fine.
The Netherlands
Action: Public awareness campaign
Focus: Media literacy
In February 2019, the Dutch government launched a public awareness

campaign aimed at informing people about the spread of misinformation
online. The campaign, which came months ahead of the EU Parliamentary
elections, was predominantly waged on social media.
Nigeria
Action: Media literacy campaign and state radio broadcasts
Focus: Media literacy and misinformation
In response to growing concerns and tensions related to misinformation,

Nigeria has launched a campaign aimed at making people more critical news
consumers.
The Premium Times reported the information minister, Lai Mohammed, is

planning collaborations with digital and print media, as well as the National
Orientation Agency, to teach Nigerians how to tell what’s real and fake online.
Mohammed said the government wouldn’t resort to “coercion or censorship.”
In November 2018, the BBC reported that the army had started debunking
Facebook misinformation on a live radio broadcast. It has also set up hotlines
for citizens to report misinformation, and some police officers are using their
personal Facebook pages to debunk it.
Oman
Action: Government training
In July 2019, the Times of Oman reported that government and security
agencies in Oman had elevated efforts to monitor fake news online.
According to the paper, the Centre for Government Communications (CGC)

held workshops with various government departments on best practices for
dealing with rumors and false claims. It’s also preparing a guide for
government institutions on how to tackle misinformation.
A spokesperson from the CGC said the measure aims to improve the rigor of
official sources for information online.
The Omani penal code does not explicitly regulate fake news, but it does
punish those who knowingly spread “false news of a crime that has not been
committed” or rumors that “affect the state.”
Pakistan
Action: Government Twitter account
In early October 2018, the Pakistani government started going after

misinformation on a platform where it regularly appears: Twitter.
Dawn reported that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting launched
an account called Fake News Buster in an attempt to debunk “fake and
negative propaganda” online. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry told the
news outlet that the government would additionally take action against those
that spread misinformation.
The Philippines
Action: Dismissed bill
In February 2018, the chair of the Senate’s Committee on Public Information

and Mass Media filed a bill that would hold government officials accountable
for spreading false information.
The bill seeks to impose penalties of up to 2 million pesos or even

imprisonment on those found guilty of spreading false information online and
on social media. It would also allow the Department of Justice to order “fake
news” to be taken down.
However, the measure was challenged as unconstitutional, and President

Rodrigo Duterte has said in the past that such a law would never pass. Duterte
has used the term “fake news” as an epithet for media outlets he dislikes, and
even has been accused of spreading misinformation himself.
In July 2019, the Presidential Communications Operations Office announced

that the proposed “anti-fake news” measure would need to be reviewed further
to avoid violating the constitution.
In the meantime, the bill has been incorporated into the Philippine’s penal
code, where any person found sharing false news that “engange(s) the public
order or cause(s) damage to the interest or credit of the State” can be subject
to a fine between 40,000 and 200,000 pesos.
Russia
Action: Bill, joint cybersecurity group and database
Focus: Misinformation and election misinformation
In the midst of heated discussions about the role of the Russian government in
propagating misinformation around the world, the country’s lawmakers have
passed their own anti-misinformation bill.
The bill bans the spread of “unreliable socially-important information” that

could “endanger lives and public health, raise the threat of massive violation
of public security and order or impede functioning of transport and social
infrastructure, energy and communication facilities and banks,” USA Today
reported.
The legislation exempts mainstream news organizations like newspapers and

TV stations. However, online news outlets that are found to be in violation
would be charged up to $5,000 in fines and 15 days in jail for repeat offenders.
The New York Times reported in July 2018 that the legislation, which
lawmakers from the ruling United Russia party submitted in mid-July, would
also hold social networks accountable for inaccurate comments that users
post. Websites that have a commenting feature and amass more than 100,000
visitors every day will be required to remove false comments within 24 hours
or be fined up to 50 million rubles (about $800,000).
The legislation has passed the State Duma and is now in the upper house
Federation Council, Moscow News reported. If passed, the bill will go to
President Vladimir Putin for his signature.
Social media platforms say they can’t possibly weed out every false comment
on a daily basis, and critics say the law gives Russia — which Freedom House
says has no press freedom — more censorship capabilities.
In December 2018, the Russian Duma introduced an additional package of

bills that would wage fines of up to 1 million rubles ($15,000) for sharing false
information online. Specifically, the legislation would ban “untruthful socially
significant information disguised as authentic reports, which poses a threat to
people’s lives and health and is fraught with mass violations of public order
and security, disruption in the operation of crucial life support facilities,
transport, and social infrastructures or other grave consequences.”
In November 2018, Russia signed a pact with Spain to create a joint

cybersecurity group aimed at preventing misinformation from affecting
diplomatic relations between the two. The move came after Spanish ministers
accused Russia of spreading misinformation about the Catalan referendum.
In May 2019, The Moscow Times reported that Russia’s media regulator was
planning to launch a database of news sources that the government has flagged
as “fake.” If such sites don’t delete offending content, they could be legally
blocked. The same regulator has also ordered sites to delete content that
shows “blatant disrespect” toward the authorities.
Rwanda
Action: Arrests and policy proposals
Focus: Media regulation and misinformation
In March 2018, the Rwandan government sentenced a blogger to 10 years in

prison for spreading rumors and inciting civil disobedience after questioning
the state’s narrative on the 1994 genocide there, according to Freedom House.
In its annual census of imprisoned journalists around the world, CPJ found
that the country jailed the third most journalists on false news charges in 2018,
with three.
In May 2019, The East African reported that Rwandan authorities were
mulling over regulations that would prohibit the spread of misinformation on
social media. If passed, such legislation would likely be an addendum to
existing Information and Communications Technology Ministry regulations
about harmful online content.
Saudi Arabia
Action: Government threats
After the reported murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in

October 2018, Saudi authorities started threatening people who post “fake
news” online with up to five years in prison and heavy fines.
Gizmodo reported that officials cited Article 6 of Saudi Arabia’s cybercrimes

regulations, which makes it a crime to breach “public order, religious values,
public morals and privacy.”
Singapore
Action: Law, parliamentary report and media literacy campaign
Focus: Misinformation and media literacy
In May 2019, Singapore became the latest country to pass a law criminalizing
the dissemination of false information online.
The law, which passed 72-9 in Singapore’s parliament, makes it illegal to

spread “false statements of fact” in Singapore that compromise security,
“public tranquility,” public safety and the country’s relations with other
nations, Techcrunch reported. The law punishes people who post false
information with heavy fines and even jail time.
If a “malicious actor” shares false information, the penalty is a fine of up to

$37,000 or five years in prison. The punishment jumps to $74,000 and a
potential 10-year jail term if the falsehood was shared using “an inauthentic
online account or a bot.” And platforms like Facebook face fines of up to
$740,000 and jail sentences of up to 10 years for their roles in spreading
misinformation.
The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, which has
been criticized by numerous human rights groups and publications for unduly
limiting free speech, lets the government demand the publication of
corrections alongside allegedly false claims “against the public interest.” The
law also outlaws the spread of misinformation on private messaging apps and
gives the government broad power to remove false content that undermines
public trust.
The measure is among the most comprehensive anti-misinformation laws in

the world. And it has been in the works for more than a year.
In January 2018, Parliament voted to create a committee focused on

addressing how best to address the problem of misinformation online. Idea
submissions from journalists, advocacy groups and others were made public
in February.
In March 2018, the government held an eight-day hearing on “deliberate online

falsehoods.” It is now working to create a report and potential legislation on
the issue — but it’s reportedly in no rush to do so.
In a 300-page parliamentary report published in late September, the

government laid out 22 recommendations for combating the spread of
misinformation online. Key among those is a call for legislation that will halt
the spread of misinformation “in a matter of hours,” Bloomberg reported.
The report also posited that people who deliberately publish false information
online should be prosecuted and that the government should work to disrupt
advertising for fake news publishers — steps the committee said were
necessary since tech companies alone can’t halt the spread of misinformation.
Facebook and Google pushed back against potential legislation in Singapore,
which Freedom House says has no press freedom, during March hearing.
Finally, the committee recommended the creation of a coalition of fact-

checking organizations, news outlets and “industry partners” to debunk
falsehoods online,The Strait Times reported. It’s still unclear to what extent
the government would play a role in it, but the report suggests that the
government could provide some sort of assistance.
In December, Channel NewsAsia reported that draft legislation could be

tabled by the first half of 2019.
In January 2019, the government announced two new resources for religious
groups to combat misinformation, the Straits Times reported. The first is a
seminar to help them understand misinformation more in-depth and the
second is a “security advisory booklet” that includes tactics on how to respond
to online falsehoods and similar threats.
Then, Singapore’s government pivoted to legislation.
On April 1, 2019, lawmakers first read a bill that would give them new powers
to crack down on the spread of misinformation on platforms like Facebook,
which could be fined if they don’t comply with specific censorship provisions.
That bill passed within the month.
South Korea
Action: Government task force and proposed law amendments
The National Assembly has more than a dozen pending law amendments
aimed at curbing the effect of misinformation online — about half of which
call on platforms to self-regulate false content. One would criminalize the use
of bots to manipulate online commenting.
At the same time, the ruling party has used a misinformation countermeasure
task force to file about 500 complaints against people allegedly publishing
problematic content.
In October 2018, the government took additional action against

misinformation, with Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon ordering police to punish
those who “generate fake news with malicious intent and systemically spread
it,” The New York Times reported. He also told a government regulatory
agency to take action against websites that harbor fake news and advocated
for a new law regulating its spread.
Spain
Action: Committee recommendation, joint cybersecurity group and
government fact-checking
Focus: Misinformation and election misinformation
In early March 2018, the National Security Commission of the Congress of

Deputies passed a proposal asking the government to take action against
misinformation online.
In the non-binding recommendation, the committee requested that the

government cooperate with the EU in developing strategies against
misinformation. The proposal was voted down by the left-wing coalition.
In November 2018, Russia signed a pact with Spain to create a joint

cybersecurity group aimed at preventing misinformation from affecting
diplomatic relations between the two. The move came after Spanish ministers
accused Russia of spreading misinformation about the Catalan referendum.
Before the April 2019 general election, Spain created a team of about 100
officials to scour social media for potentially false or misleading political
posts. It’s unclear how that team addressed such posts during the election.
Sri Lanka
Action: Internet shutdowns and legal revisions
Following India’s example, the Sri Lankan government has also shut down
mobile phone networks and social media platforms in an effort to slow the
spread of misinformation that has led to violence, according to Freedom
House.
The practice expanded in April 2019, when the government blocked access to
several social media platforms following terrorist attacks at several churches
on Easter Sunday. The New York Times reported that the ban included
Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and Viber.
But according to several onlookers, the measures didn’t work. BuzzFeed

News reported on a Sri Lankan researcher who found that internet bans are
quickly circumvented by users who employed virtual private networks. And
AFP found that several hoaxes made the rounds online in spite of the social
media shutdown.
In June 2019, Sri Lanka expanded its anti-misinformation efforts by

announcing a series of revisions to the penal code. Ada Derana reported that
the Cabinet of Ministers were revising the code to allow for the prosecution of
people that spread false statements or hate speech that “that hinder the peace
among communities and national security.”
Under that measure, offenders will be charged a fine of up to $5,667 or a

prison sentence of up to five years.
Sweden
Action: Government authority and public handbook
Focus: Foreign disinformation campaigns
Ahead of the fall 2018 general election, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven
announced a new “psychological defense” authority in mid-January aimed at
countering disinformation and foreign influence campaigns.
Building off both the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency and the

parliamentary Defense Commission, the authority would “ensure that factual
public information can be quickly and effectively communicated even under
disruptive conditions, as well as identify, analyze and confront influencing
operations.”
On the whole, Sweden’s proposed authority has a different flavor than those in
other countries; rather than attempting to directly fight false or misleading
information, it instead is aimed at promoting factual content. A start date for
the body has not yet been set.
Sometime in 2018, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency updated its public
emergency preparedness brochure to include a section about false
information. It warns of potential foreign disinformation campaigns and
includes a list of things citizens can do to fact-check information online.
Taiwan
Action: Bill and legal revisions
Taiwanese lawmakers are considering adding a clause to the state’s Social

Order Maintenance Act that criminalizes the spread of misinformation.
Under the new law, which the ruling Democratic Progressive Party introduced
in early June, people who publish misinformation online could be punished by
up to three days in jail or a fine of up to $30,000 New Taiwan dollars
(US$1,000). The existing regulation already imposes fines and prison time for
anyone who spreads rumors.
In mid-June 2018, the bill was assigned to a committee for review and
consultation with experts and stakeholders. CPJ reported the bill could have
been back in parliament for readings in mid-September.
In December, Taiwanese lawmakers added a clause to the state’s Social Order

Maintenance Act that criminalizes the spread of misinformation. Under the
law, which was introduced by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, people
who publish misinformation online could be punished by up to three days in
jail or a fine of up to $30,000 New Taiwan dollars (US$1,000).
Taiwan’s legislature is reviewing proposals to introduce even harsher

penalties, by increasing the fine to up to $300,000 New Taiwan dollars and six
months in jail.
In July 2019, the South China Morning Post reported that more than 110
people had already been arrested under the law amid nationwide fears of “red
media,” or Beijing-funded misinformation campaigns meant to destabilize
Taiwan.
The Taiwanese justice ministry’s investigation bureau is also looking into

whether China is funding any misinformation campaigns in favor of certain
candidates ahead of the country’s presidential elections, which will take place
in January 2020.
In March, Reporters Without Borders released a report identifying Taiwan as

the main target of Beijing’s disinformation operations. Taiwanese authorities
have been alerting the public to be wary of fake news and “red media.”
In April 2019, the Taiwan cabinet approved changes to two criminal articles
that address false reports about “trade safety” and people’s “reputation and
trust,” Voice of America reported. The revisions included “increased penalties
for the spread of misinformation by mobile or internet media.”
However, Taiwan’s parliament must approve the legal revisions before they
take effect.
Tanzania
Action: Blog licensing
Focus: Media regulation*
Tanzania is taking advantage of growing concern about online misinformation

to levy new regulations against online publishers.
The Financial Times reported that the government plans to charge bloggers
about $920 a year for the privilege of publishing online — in a country with a
nominal per capita income of less than $900.
The Tanzanian government says the move is an effort to curtail lies online by
passing costs on to publishers. The High Court paused the May 5, 2018,
implementation after activists and media outlets challenged it, but it later
passed.
Violators will be fined a minimum of five million Tanzanian shillings (US

$2,202), jailed for no less than a year or both. The Verge reported that the law
has already discouraged many young content creators to go offline.
*This law does not address misinformation directly, as others have reported.
Thailand
Focus: Media regulation and misinformation
Citing “fake news,” Thai officials have been expanding a 2007 law called the
Computer Crime Act that punishes anti-government criticism, the Los Angeles
Times reported.
Now, instead of only focusing on statements made about the monarchy in

Thailand, officials can go after journalists and bloggers who make anti-
military claims. Per the law, violators could face up to 15 years in prison.
In June 2018, Thai authorities issued warrants for the arrest of 29 people who
had allegedly shared or liked false claims on Facebook, the South China
Morning Post reported. Other citizens ranging from rappers to political
campaigners have been charged under the law, the BBC reported.
Thailand, which has been governed by a military junta since 2014, was
classified as having a “not free” press in Freedom Press’ annual census.
During an election in March 2019, Thai authorities continued to crack down

on people who allegedly spread false information on Facebook. The AFP
reported that nine people were detained for sharing posts that claimed two
election commissioners had been fired and that 600,000 illegitimate ballots
had been counted.
The accused face up to five years in jail and a $3,100 fine.
In July 2019, Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Minister announced

plans to set up a “Fake News Center” with the cooperation of the police, the
military, the Consumer Protection Board, the Food and Drugs Administration
and the Public Relations Department.
The minister said the center would be responsible for eliminating social media
content that put peoples’ safety at risk or violated the Computer Crime Act.
Turkey
Action: Investigation
Amid an economic crisis in Turkey, the government launched an investigation

into what it’s calling fake news stories aimed at manipulating the economy.
The Capital Markets Board said that it would seek legal action against
individuals who publish “erroneous and fabricated news and statements”
about banks, companies and financial institutions, The Financial Times
reported. The potential punishment could be between two and five years in
prison, as well as fines.
In addition, the Interior Ministry opened an investigation into 346 social

media accounts that “provoke the currency rate increase,” CNN reported.
Uganda
Action: Social media tax
Focus: Internet regulation*
A new tax in Uganda that charges citizens for the ability to use social media
platforms went into effect July 1, 2018.
The tax, which President Yoweri Museveni introduced in May reportedly to

cut down on the spread of gossip, is primarily aimed at creating another
revenue stream for the government. The government — which shut down
social media during the 2016 election — is charging mobile phone users 200
Ugandan shillings ($0.05) for using platforms like WhatsApp, Viber, Twitter,
and Skype. Museveni compared the platforms to commodities like alcohol and
tobacco.
While it’s still unclear how the government is going to detect when users log
into social media accounts and then tax them, critics say the law is an attempt
to co-opt concerns about misinformation to further regulate free speech.
Uganda has partial press freedom, according to Freedom House.
*This does not directly address misinformation, as others have reported.
United Arab Emirates

Action: Government threats
During a talk in October 2018, a Dubai police official told citizens that sharing
misinformation on social media is a crime punishable by law. Under the law,
sharing rumors online could merit a fine of up to Dh1 million (roughly
$272,250).
United Kingdom
Action: Parliamentary report and task force
Focus: Misinformation and foreign disinformation campaigns*
After 18 months of thinking about how the government should address

misinformation, U.K. lawmakers published a report on July 29, 2018.
The recommendations that the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee
of Parliament issued include: a rejection of the term “fake news,” applying
existing media regulations to online news and the creation of a working group
to research how misinformation spreads.
The British government has also set up the National Security Communications
Unit, which is tasked with “combating disinformation by state actors and
others.” That decision came amid an investigation of Russia’s reported use of
fake social media accounts to spread misinformation about the Brexit
referendum in summer 2016.
While details are scant, The Conversation reported that the initiative echoes a
Cold War-era tactic.
In July 2019, the U.K.’s education and health Secretaries announced at a

summit that there would be new content added to schools’ curricula aimed at
teaching kids how to spot misinformation online.
*It’s not clear that this effort targets misinformation instead of propaganda, as
United States
Action: Proposed federal law, platform testimonies, failed state advisory
group, state media literacy law, threat assessment, state media literacy
initiatives and state lawsuits
Focus: Political ads, foreign disinformation, general misinformation, media

literacy and deepfake videos
Confirmed by intelligence agencies, Russian meddling on social media during

the 2016 U.S. presidential election has resulted in several piecemeal actions
from the federal government.
First, Congress announced a bill in October 2017 that would require online
platforms such as Facebook and Google to keep copies of ads, make them
public and keep tabs on who is paying — and how much. Essentially, the
legislation attempts to impose existing TV and radio ad regulations on social
media companies.
Then, in November 2017, representatives from Facebook, Twitter and Google

testified to a Senate judiciary committee on their role in spreading
disinformation during the election. During that meeting, there was broad
consensus that Russia did manipulate their platforms, but the platforms
projected an appearance of control when it comes to monitoring fake accounts
and ad buyers.
Meanwhile, the California state government passed a law in September 2018

that bolsters media literacy in public schools. It requires the Department of
Education to list instructional materials and resources on how to evaluate
trustworthy media. The law was inspired by a Stanford University student
who found that most students can’t distinguish between sponsored content
and news stories and comes amid several current and former attempts to
improve media literacy in at least 24 states.
One of those states is Washington, where lawmakers are debating a media

literacy bill that would establish a grant program for organizations working to
include media literacy in school curricula. And in 2018, Massachusetts
lawmakers passed a bill that mandates civic education with an emphasis on
media literacy.
Also in California, Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed a bill that would have created
an advisory group aimed at monitoring the spread of misinformation on
social media and coming up with potential solutions. The group, which Brown
called “not necessary,” would have asked social media companies, NGOs and
First Amendment scholars to present their findings by Dec. 31, 2019.
In mid-September 2018, two Democrats and one Republican representative

sent a letter to the director of national intelligence asking the intelligence
community to assess the possible national security threats posed by deepfake
technology and present a report to Congress by the end of 2018. Lawmakers
cited the potential for foreign adversaries to use deepfake videos against U.S.
interests as a key reason to investigate them.
In January 2019, a company that created fake social media profiles to make
millions of dollars in revenue settled a case with the New York state attorney,
CNN reported. The settlement is the first case in which law enforcement has
concluded that selling fake social media activity is illegal.
Vietnam
Action: Law
In January 2019, a new Vietnamese law took effect that requires internet
service providers to disclose user data so that the government can trace the
origin of specific posts.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the Cyber Security Law also requires
platforms like Facebook to delete content at the government’s request. Per
Vietnamese law, spreading false information is already a crime that can land
someone in prison.
Regulators approved the new law in June amid protest from tech platforms,
Reuters reported.
Are we missing a proposed law or other action against online

 misinformation? Email dfunke@poynter.org or use the form below
and we’ll update the story accordingly.
Which countries are

legislating against online
misinformation?
As concerns about fake news, hoaxes and misinformation
continue to heighten around the world some governments
continue to heighten around the world, some governments
are taking action. They span from anti-fake news laws in
Malaysia to media literacy initiatives in Denmark — and
Poynter is keeping track of them.
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Updates
August 13: The sections for Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, The
Philippines and the United Kingdom were updated with the latest news. New
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Kingdom and the United States were updated with the latest news. New entries
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the latest news. New entries were created for Cambodia, Denmark, Egypt,
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July 2, 2018: The sections for France, Malaysia, Singapore and the U.S. were
updated with the latest news. New entries were created for Belarus and India.
May 22, 2018: The sections for Brazil and Malaysia were updated with the latest
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April 9, 2018: The section for Malaysia was updated with the latest news.
Corrections
Oct. 31, 2018: A previous version of this story stated that Malaysia’s anti-
misinformation law had been repealed, per a report from The Guardian. In fact,
the law had only been repealed by one house of Parliament, not two.
April 9, 2018: A previous version of this story stated that an Irish bill aimed at
criminalizing the creation of multiple fake social media accounts to spread
political messages was downvoted in parliament. In fact, the bill criminalizes the
creation of multiple accounts only if they’re made to look like different people,
and the bill was downvoted by the ruling party but passed by a narrow margin to
the committee stage.
Written by Daniel Funke and Daniela Flamini

Reporting by Daniela Flamini, Daniel Funke, Masato Kajimoto and Alexander Damiano
Ricci
Designed by Daniel Funke and Ren LaForme
Edited by Barbara Allen and Alexios Mantzarlis
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12/3/2021 A guide to anti-misinformation actions around the world - Poynter

COVID-19: Poynter Resources

Educators & Students

Ethics & Leadership

By Daniel Funke and Daniela Flamini

BRUSSELS — In mid-March 2018, a European Commission high-level group

The report created by the high-level group — announced in November 2017 to

The report, while imperfect, explicitly recommends not regulating against

In the spirit of this confusion, explained in detail in a Council of Europe

Here's where governments

Law Media literacy Bill Internet shutdowns Law e

(Map: Daniel Funke)

Australia | Bahrain | Bangladesh | Belarus | Belgium | Benin |

Download the entire database in CSV format

Focus: Foreign disinformation campaigns* and media literacy

In February of 2019, an investigation by the ABC revealed that the Australian

In April, they also launched a “Stop and Consider” campaign encouraging

Focus: Media regulation

Focus: Propaganda and media regulation

In October 2018, the Bangladeshi government passed a bill that imprisons

The Economist reported that journalists were concerned. In August, a

As Reuters reported in December, the Bangladesh government itself has been

On June 14, 2018, lawmakers passed controversial amendments to Belarus’

On June 8, the Committee to Protect Journalists came out against the

First, the government established an expert group of journalists and scholars

Focus: Media regulation

The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that Casimir Kpedjo, editor of

If convicted, he faces up to six months in prison or a ﬁne of up to $1,692, CPJ

Focus: Election misinformation

The Federal Police’s announcement of a task force to “identify and punish

Polícia Federal dará início nos próximos dias em Brasília às atividades de um

— FENAPEF (@FENAPEF) January 9, 2018

Cambodia expanded its crackdown on misinformation in the weeks leading up

Other governments and organizations condemned the sentence, and a

Focus: Media regulation

In the global crackdown on misinformation, Cameroon has emerged as a key

According to CPJ’s annual census of imprisoned journalists, the country jailed

In October of 2018, the Cameroonian government met with two Facebook

Focus: Media literacy, foreign disinformation campaigns

In January 2019, the Canadian government announced a multi-pronged eﬀort

Second, the government called on social media platforms to do more to

Third, Canada announced it was giving $7 million to projects aimed at

In 2016, the government criminalized creating or spreading rumors that

Focus: Media regulation

Côte d’Ivoire minister Alain Lobognan was imprisoned on “false news”

Côte d’Ivoire is just the latest sub-Saharan African country to imprison

Focus: Hate speech*

Borrowing from similar eﬀorts in Germany, the Croatian government

The bill, which primarily takes aim at Facebook, endeavors to primarily

*This law does not have enforceable mechanisms to combat misinformation, as

Democratic Republic of Congo

Amid an ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo, the government created a

Science magazine reported in January that the government had recruited

Focus: Misinformation and media literacy

The group, which formed in September 2017, is responsible for developing

Danish authorities bolstered their eﬀorts to get ahead of misinformation

Finally, the Danish government came up with a plan to avoid foreign

*This does not directly address misinformation, as others have reported.

Focus: Media regulation

In September, the government began arresting people on “fake news” charges.

In December, CPJ found in its annual census of imprisoned journalists that

Focus: Election misinformation