The Dutch cabinet shares new plans to combat disinformation

The Dutch outgoing cabinet announces new measures to combat the spread of disinformation. The focus of the approach is mainly on the risks of generative AI, because many people have difficulty recognizing content generated by AI.

The government is focusing its measures on tackling the spreaders of disinformation , strengthening the resilience of citizens and investigating the impact of disinformation. The latter relates to acquiring knowledge about the effect of disinformation on the democratic constitutional state, such as the influence that disinformation has on elections.

Work is also being done to set up a reporting facility and a knowledge center. to handle complaints about disinformation. The government also sees the Digital Services Act as an important part of tackling disinformation at European level. Research has shown that many people have difficulty recognizing content generated by AI. This makes it easier for disinformation to spread. The government therefore wants to use AI benchmarking and bias detection tools to limit the risks.

The government also wants to encourage fact checking, while the independence of fact checkers remains guaranteed. We are investigating which financing models can help with this. Investments are also being made in initiatives that promote media literacy, such as isdatechtzo.nl and Dichterbij Nieuws. The government is also committed to improving the reliability of medical information and tackling extremist narratives.