Deliberate Disinformation has become a weapon of mass Destruction
The dissemination of rumours and false or misleading news is a phenomenon that has developed at an alarming speed with the internet. Non-democratic states but also hard-core small militant groups shamelessly provide fake news. The trouble is that many people see the internet as a trusted source of information. North-America and Europe with 95% and 85,2% respectively have the highest internet penetration (Sources: Internet World Stats). These two regions of the world are therefore particularly vulnerable to false information. Contrary to popular belief cold war isn't over. In fact, cold war thanks to the new technologies has become a hot war. Many experts believe that the mighty hand of Russia is behind the multiple attempts to affect the results of the latest US presidential elections and the recent elections in Germany. It is true that Russia has highly qualified computer experts, famous hackers, and a long tradition of disinformation. Of course,other countries are also suspected of having supported activities of hacking groups. It is within this context that the EU Commission proposes a Code of Practice to tackle disinformation online. Today, there is wide recognition that the proliferation of false news online could undermine the foundations of our democratic societies. The creation of a European network of fact-checkers is a key measure in the Commission's strategy. The efficiency of such a measure is of course uncertain. However, we must act now, because deliberate disinformation is a major problem of our time.
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