The UK government has announced that it will set up a new unit to counter “fake news” and disinformation. The government said that the “dedicated national security communications unit”, which is already being dubbed the “Ministry of Truth”, would be charged with “combating disinformation by state actors and others”. As yet, there is no further information on where the unit will be based or who will staff it.
The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee is currently carrying out an inquiry into “fake news” and has requested information from Facebook and Twitter including on Russian activity during the EU referendum campaign.
