Google is investing 25 million euros in the newly created European Media and Information Fund. This is set up to combat misinformation and disinformation on social media and the internet.
Through the investment, announced by the company itself on Wednesday, Google wants to reverse the picture that tech companies are doing little to stop the spread of fake news.
The Coronavirus pandemic last year and the US elections caused a massive spike in disinformation online. Social media is regularly criticized for not responding vigorously enough to this development, while regulators have already indicated that they are not shy of difficult means to address this.
The European Fund aims to bring together researchers, fact-checkers, NGOs and other relevant sources to help block fake news. “As we address the uncertainty and challenges that occurred in the last year, it is more important than ever that people can access the right information and can learn truth from fiction,” said Matt Britten, owner of Google Divisions. It leads Europe, the Middle East and Africa, in a blog post.
The fund will remain active for the next five years. The European Digital Media Observatory, a project of the European Commission with fact-checkers and researchers, selects the projects.
