Nick Clegg, Daniela Stockmann, Benoît Loutrel discuss potential rules.
Tech companies have recently been criticised for not doing enough to control the negative effects of the internet. Spreading false information and hate speech, fomenting conflict, discontent and polarisation, and threatening peace and stability are among some of the most discussed issues. On the other hand, many tech companies have invested in this field and argue that it shouldn’t be them, but governments, who decide how the internet should be regulated.
But who should decide these rules and who should enforce them? Current ideas include the creation of oversight authorities, imposing fines, increasing access to data for independent observers and improving the transparency of algorithms. The parameters set now will guide the future regulation of social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube, and thus require the right balance between protecting freedom of speech and addressing concerns about accurate information, healthy public discourse, user privacy and political stability.
Nick Clegg, Vice President of Global Affairs and Communications at Facebook, Benoit Loutrel, former Director General of France’s Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (Arcep) and Daniela Stockmann of Hertie School came together for a debate moderated by Katrin Bennhold, The New York Times Berlin bureau chief on the current and future challenges of regulating the internet.
Listen to the full discussion:
