German States Propose Strict Regulation for Big Tech and AI to Combat Disinformation
Germany's Conference of State Broadcasting Authorities has introduced a comprehensive reform package, the 'Digital Media State Treaty, Part 2' (DMStV), aimed at strictly regulating global tech companies and artificial intelligence. The draft, presented on September 16, shifts regulatory focus to content and its impact on opinion formation, moving away from traditional media categories. Key proposals include mandating transparency for algorithms, requiring AI providers to adhere to journalistic due diligence for generated content, and implementing measures against coordinated disinformation campaigns by bot networks. The draft also seeks to overhaul media concentration rules, introducing an impact-based standard across the opinion market, with advertising and distribution revenue as key indicators of market power. Platforms would be required to ensure a minimum quota of public-value journalistic content in algorithmic feeds and allow free, direct links to journalistic outlets. The initiative aims to establi...
