Facebook CEO Zuckerberg calls for stricter internet regulation
Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has spoken out in favor of stricter regulation of the internet: "We need to redefine the rules for the internet to preserve what is good."
The founder of the world's largest online network wrote this in a guest article for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. "We need a more active role for governments and regulations," it continued.
In the Postwhich was also published in other newspapers such as the Washington Post, the Sunday Independent and the Journal de Dimanche Zuckerberg is in favor of introducing data protection rules in other countries that are similar to the controversial European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Legislators should also introduce some rules for issues that the GDPR has so far left open.
Zuckerberg also sees shortcomings in regulation when it comes to measures against political manipulation. "Laws for political advertising on the internet focus primarily on candidates and elections rather than on political issues that polarize society," he criticized. "Our systems would be more effective if there were uniform standards for the verification of political actors."
Furthermore, some laws only apply during election campaigns. "However, disinformation campaigns also exist independently of elections." According to Facebook, the relevant laws should be updated "to reflect the actual threats and set industry-wide standards."
The Facebook founder also proposes rules for data transfer between internet platforms. "Data that is shared with one service should be able to be transferred to another service," argues Zuckerberg.
Zuckerberg is also calling for uniform rules for several companies when it comes to blocking content: "Because people use many different services, all with their own policies and processes, we need a common approach. One idea would be to have independent bodies set standards that companies are measured against," Zuckerberg wrote.
Facebook is repeatedly criticized because users often spread hate messages on the platform. Most recently, an Australian right-wing extremist broadcast his attack on two mosques in New Zealand live on Facebook. Fifty people died in the attack. The online platform has also been used to manipulate elections. Data protectionists also criticize Facebook's massive collection of personal data. (SDA)
