Fake news on digital media has become a potent means of manipulating political discourse around the world. Social media provides a platform for the free, and largely unregulated, widespread dissemination of fake news stories. Furthermore, it enables content creators to generate revenue from advertising.

The parliamentary group of social democrats in the European Parliament is organising a conference to tackle political and legal challenges linked to fake news as well as different responses to the phenomena from several EU Member States and the European Commission.

The EFJ will be represented by its GS Ricardo Gutiérrez.

AGENDA

 13.00 – 13.05

            Short welcome and introduction by Tanja FAJON MEP – S&D Vice President & Chair of the Extremism Working Group

13:05 – 13.20

            Fake news and recent elections in EU Member States

Arnaud MERCIER, professor of political communication at Panthéon-Assas University, Paris

13:20 – 13:30 Q & A with the audience

13:30 – 14:10

            Government responses and legislative challenges

• Ingrid BRODNIG, Austrian Digital Ambassador to the EU
• Christian MEYER-SEITZ, Federal Ministry of Justice, Germany, Head of Unit: Consumer Policy in the Information Society, Telecommunications and Media Law

European Commission’s perspective

 Paolo CESARINI, Head of Unit DG Connect European Commission, Media Convergence & Social Media Unit

European Parliament’s perspective

 Petra KAMMEREVERT MEP, Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education in the EP

14:10 – 14:25 Q & A with the audience

14:25 – 14:55

            Social media platforms and their tackling of fake news

• Jon STEINBERG, Senior member of the Public Policy team at Google
• Thomas MYRUP KRISTENSEN, Managing Director EU Affairs, Head of Office, Facebook

14:55 – 15:10 Q & A with the audience

15:10 – 15:40 The battle against fake news and the rise of the radical right

• Nick LOWLES, Hope Not Hate, UK
• Gerald HENSEL, Fearless Democracy, Germany

15:40 – 15:55 Q & A with the audience

15:55 – 16:15

            Fake news and the future of professional and ethical journalism

• Ricardo GUTIERREZ, Secretary General of the International Federation of Journalists
• Guy BERGER, UNESCO Director for Division of Freedom of Expression and Media Development

16:15 -16:25 Q & A with the audience

16:25 -16:30

Conclusion by Josef WEIDENHOLZER MEP – S&D Vice President & Chair of the Digital Europe Working Group

16:30 – 17:30 Cocktail Reception

Languages: EN, FR, DE, IT, ES