• Misinformation can make the world less informed and erode trust. In some instances, it can even lead to offline harm
• Addressing misinformation at a systemic level requires a combination of approaches, and collaboration between public, private and civil society sectors, to build a modern digital society in the long term

Across the world, governments are wrestling with the question of how to address misinformation in society. 
Misinformation is a complex social phenomenon which involves a range of offline and online behaviours. It goes beyond any single online platform — in fact, it long pre-dates the internet.  Misinformation can make the world less informed and erode trust. In some instances, it can even lead to offline harm. All of us — tech companies, media companies, newsrooms, governments, civil society, educational institutions and citizens, have a role and responsibility to stop the spread of misinformation. 

At the same time, overbroad and disproportionate responses can create even greater threats to society. Efforts by governments to unilaterally decide what is true and false can — intentionally or otherwise — restrict the fundamental rights of their citizens, such as the rights to opinion and expression. 
Building a digitally resilient society relies on people being able to critically evaluate information, make informed decisions and correct mistakes themselves. Heavy handed government intervention disrupts this process, limits the ability for people to develop important media literacy skills, and ultimately hinders the progress of society in addressing the challenge of misinformation in the long term.

And, prohibiting or removing individual pieces of misinformation content online is not a scalable solution when considering the volume of content that lives on the internet, and the diversity of platforms where it is shared. It also adds extreme complexity to content review by requiring platforms to make decisions on what is true or false, and make judgements on what is satire, opinion or debate. 

So, what is the solution? 

Addressing misinformation at a systemic level requires a combination of approaches, and collaboration between public, private and civil society sectors, to build a modern digital society in the long term. In practice, this means having a balance of proactive and reactive measures, including digital and media literacy programmes, fact-checking partnerships, and self-regulatory industry frameworks. 

Codes such as the European Union’s Code of Practice on Disinformation and the Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation, provide a forum for ongoing dialogue between all stakeholders to find solutions as the digital ecosystem evolves. Importantly, they allow flexibility for platforms to develop bespoke solutions that are fit-for-purpose in tackling the problem. Flexibility is critical because the risks and harms that may arise from misinformation can change every day. 

At Facebook, we have partnered with over 80 independent third party fact checkers globally, certified through the non-partisan International Fact-Checking Network. We continue to address misinformation on our platform by supporting our fact-checking partners, including AFP and Fact Crescendo in  Sri Lanka. Earlier this year, we also launched a public education campaign to tackle COVID-related misinformation in the country. We connect people to authoritative health information through our COVID-19 Information Center and continue to build products and partnerships to support digital literacy around the world. This week, the Facebook Journalism Project announced a partnership with the Digital Health Lab at Meedan, a global technology nonprofit organization, to help third-party fact-checkers fight misinformation related to COVID-19 and vaccines. Meedan’s team of doctors, scientists and health experts will facilitate virtual training sessions, and fact checking partners can also use the Health Desk for relevant updates.

These efforts seek to minimise harm from misinformation, connect people to authoritative information, respect the fundamental rights of people in Sri Lanka, and ultimately contribute to building a more digitally literate and resilient community in the long term. Blunt regulation does not allow companies like Facebook to move quickly and innovate to keep pace with the changing nature of online behaviour, and may ultimately limit our ability to address misinformation on our platforms.

To the extent that regulation is pursued, it must incorporate clear principles to balance protecting people’s safety and voice. Firstly, the definition and scope of misinformation should be limited to verifiably false statements, and it should exclude opinion, satires, and legitimate criticism.  Placing restrictions on speech should also be proportionate to the risk. When misinformation risks offline harm, platforms should be required to remove it. When there is not a risk of such harm, platforms should instead focus on providing people with context to enable them to make more informed judgements on the quality and accuracy of information.

Importantly, regulation of misinformation should not include criminal penalties. The UN and other international human rights organisations have stated that criminalisation of sharing misinformation is “incompatible with international standards for restrictions on freedom of expression.” Regulation which criminalises misinformation risks stifling legitimate speech and often leads to accusations of misusing such laws to censor or silence critics. We strongly believe that, whether through regulation or otherwise, solutions to address misinformation should be developed in a balanced manner, with proper consultation with a variety of stakeholders. This is based on our years of experience combating misinformation on our platforms, and our continued engagement with regulators, civil society and human rights experts around the world. By working together, we believe that global tech companies and regulators will be able to effectively tackle one of the most pressing online content-related issues that society is facing today.