Fake news king Russia has claimed it will clamp down on false comments by making social media companies remove them within 24 hours.
A proposed new law put forward by the country’s governing party, United Russia, suggests holding social networks accountable for ‘inaccurate’ remarks posted by users.
Under the plans, websites with more than 100,000 daily visitors will be given 24 hours to delete inaccurate remarks or face fines of up to 50million (£600,000), according to the New York Times.
But critics have already warned it could end up being another form of censorship under Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Fake news king Russia has claimed it will clamp down on false comments by making social media companies remove them within 24 hours. But critics have already warned it could end up being another form of censorship under Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured)
Social media users already risking fines and jail time for promoting homosexuality or posting anything deemed a threat to public order.
Russian hackers are accused of having targeted the US elections, spreading fake news to meddle in the outcome – a claim the Kremlin denies.
Last year Emmanuel Macron said his French Presidential election campaign was targeted by groups in both Russia and Ukraine.
In June, a study by Russia expert and Tory MP Bob Seely claimed the Kremlin was using hackers, trolls, paid protesters and misinformation as part of an attempt to destabilise the West.
The latest legislation in Russia has passed one of three Parliamentary votes, it has been reported.
Its co-sponsor, Sergei M. Boyarsky, used the example of a devastating mall fire in Siberia as evidence of the dangers of fake news after a series of online posts gave incorrect death tolls for the tragedy.
But there are fears that internet moderators, while trying to interpret the tough new accuracy rules, will be overly cautious and end up merely removing or blunting comments to the advantage of Russian authorities.
Internet firms, meanwhile, say there are far too many posts to enable moderators to properly review each potential case of fake news within a 24 hour period.
According to the New York Times, Vladimir V. Zykov, head of an association of social media users in Russia, told politicians that social media companies will somehow have to develop algorithms to help tell the difference between false news and real news.
Failure to do so, he said, could see the new laws simply becoming ‘an instrument of censorship’.