Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Covid-19: Disinformation

Monday 27 April 2020 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Rob Roberts asked about further work with the media to provide accurate information to vulnerable people and businesses.
  • Dame Cheryl Gillan asked for an assessment of the industry's initiatives to combat disinformation, including user warnings and content removal.
  • Julian Knight requested Oliver Dowden to call for stricter measures from Twitter to remove verified status from users spreading false information.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Rob Roberts
Culture, Media & Sport Business & Trade
Context

Rob Roberts inquired about steps taken by the Department to address disinformation related to coronavirus.

Question

Rob Roberts asked what further work can be done with the media to provide useful and accurate information to the public about support for vulnerable people and struggling businesses during the crisis.

Answer from Oliver Dowden

Oliver Dowden thanked Rob Roberts and acknowledged the importance of trusted information. He mentioned that the Government designated news industry workers as key workers, addressed keyword blocking issues affecting advertising revenue, and ensured direct communication through government ads.

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Q2 Cheryl Gillan Con
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

Dame Cheryl Gillan questioned the effectiveness of social media industry initiatives to warn people about misinformation and their willingness to remove harmful messages.

Question

She asked for an assessment of the industry's initiatives to combat disinformation, including warnings to users and removal of abusive content.

Answer from Oliver Dowden

Oliver Dowden noted that platforms have taken steps but need to further limit misinformation. He mentioned agreements for more messaging to users about identifying and responding to disinformation, with Facebook showing messages to those who interacted with removed posts since his meeting.

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Q3 Julian Knight Con
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

Julian Knight highlighted the spread of disinformation by blue-tick verified users, emphasizing harmful narratives like those regarding 5G.

Question

He requested that Oliver Dowden join him in calling for stricter measures from Twitter to remove verified status from prominent users spreading false information.

Answer from Oliver Dowden

Oliver Dowden agreed with Julian Knight, stating that he encouraged all platforms, including Twitter, to explore ways to limit misinformation by enforcing their own rules. He also said he would watch the Select Committee discussion on these issues closely.

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