The government has proposed that social media platforms be compelled to prioritise its deemed “trusted” news sources under its wider plans to clamp down on the social media industry.
Culture department is holding talks with platforms like Facebook, Alphabet-owned YouTube and TikTok about making it simpler for users to spot content from the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, and other trusted public service or news media on their feeds and search results, it said on 22nd June.
Higher visibility of regulated news providers may help combat misinformation – especially in crisis situations – the Government said.
But if a platform does try to control rankings of content, its efforts are likely to be subject to scrutiny from the social media companies themselves, which argue that any such rules would be “infringing on user choice and harming other content creators.
The social media platforms X, Meta, TikTok and YouTube did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The proposals are part of a wider restructuring of Britain’s public service media system to enable broadcasters to counter the competition from streaming services and changing viewing patterns.
Ministers are also looking into extending public service media status to internet-only broadcasters, the expansion of the free-to-air protections on major sports events to on-demand viewing and discussing the prospect of internet-based TV replacing 2034/44.
