Germany Wants to Fine Facebook and Other Social Media Sites Over Fake News

Politicians in Germany are taking action to curb fake news on social media sites. Thomas Oppermann, the parliamentary chair of the Social Democratic Party has called for fines against those sites, he told Der Spiegel magazine, translated on Deutsche Welle.

Fake news on social media platforms, especially on Facebook, have been blamed for influencing the 2016 U.S. presidential election. However, CEO Mark Zuckerberg went on record saying it’s a “pretty crazy idea” to think fake news on Facebook had any impact on the election.

Germany seems like it doesn’t want to experience the same thing the U.S. went through when Chancellor Angela Merkel runs for her fourth term next year. A new bill to curb fake news and hate messages in under consideration.

Oppermann says social media platforms should pay up if fake reports are not deleted quickly. Oppermann focused on Facebook in particular for the spread of fake news on its site and called for stronger regulations against the platform.

"Facebook did not avail itself of the opportunity to regulate the issue of complaint management itself," Oppermann told Der Spiegel on Friday. "Now market dominating platforms like Facebook will be legally required to build a legal protection office in Germany that is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year."

That move would allow those affected by fake news and hate messages to contact the site, prove that they have been targeted and ask for action to be taken over the incident.

"If, after appropriate examination, Facebook does not delete the offending message within 24 hours, it should expect individual fines of up to 500,000 euros ($523,320)," Oppermann added.

Volker Kauder, a senior member of Merkel's Christian Democrats, agreed with Oppermann.

"There has been only talk for too long. Now we in the coalition will take action at the beginning of next year,” said Kauder. "We plan to impose high penalties that would affect companies like Facebook if they do not meet their responsibilities."

Other politicians in Germany have also called for action against fake news.

Germany's justice minister, Heiko Maas, told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, "Defamation and malicious gossip are not covered under freedom of speech," and that "Justice authorities must prosecute that, even on the Internet," according to the Guardian. Maas also noted that offenders could face up to five years in jail under Germany's strict libel laws.

German politicians’ move against fake news comes after Facebook announced new steps to curb the problem, including teaming up with signatories of Poynter ’s International Fact Checking Code of Principles —a list that includes ABC News, FactCheck.org, Snopes, Politifact, the Associated Press and the Washington Post.