PERSONAL TECH

That's public service media such as the BBC, according to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The British government wants "trusted" news sources to be made more prominent on social media in plans that seem set to cause controversy with free speech advocates.

In a Green Paper published Tuesday, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) laid out its aim to improve access to reliable news sources on online platforms.

This is part of broader reforms to the UK's public service media system, intended both to ensure it continues to serve the British public and to support an eventual managed transition to internet-based TV.

DCMS observes in the report "Watch this Space: A new strategic direction for UK media" that there has been a shift in how people consume news. For 75 percent of young people aged 16-24, social media is their main source, while more than half of UK adults now include social media as one of the ways they get updates.

As Reg readers are well aware, while social networks provide access to a greater range of news sources, they are also a superb conduit for misinformation and disinformation, with "the potential for less accurate material to replace trustworthy sources as content is increasingly shaped by algorithms and AI."

Because of this, the government is inviting feedback on its proposals. These would require social media companies and video-sharing platforms to make sure that news content from public service media (PSM), which includes the BBC, ITV, STV, Channel 4, S4C, and Channel 5, plus other trustworthy providers, is "prominent and easy to find on their platforms."

How this would be achieved is up for discussion. DCMS suggests that it could involve a range of national and local news publishers being given prominent placement in search results or recommendation feeds when people search for news.

The government claims to be keeping an open mind on this, seeking views on whether it can be achieved voluntarily, whether all PSM content should be prominent, and which platforms ought to be in scope.

The Green Paper says that PSM providers are held to higher regulatory standards than other content providers, and this in turn increases their costs. Historically, they were also more prominent to audiences, but "in a platform environment driven by algorithmic recommendations, media is frequently optimized for engagement rather than public value."

The paper claims that the risk is stark, especially for young people, and that there is broad societal consensus that such audiences should have guaranteed access to "high-quality, safe and educational content." This is consistent with the government's recent actions to protect children online, it further claims.

But critics will argue that the government is trying to control the narrative, forcing social media platforms to give higher prominence to news sources that may be seen as part of the establishment or less likely to be critical of the government itself.

We can only imagine the reaction of X owner and "free speech absolutist" Elon Musk, for example, who has openly clashed with the UK government on numerous occasions. We asked X for comment on this article.

Jemimah Steinfeld, chief exec of campaign group Index on Censorship, said the government proposals are a cause for concern. "While the proposal sounds well and good – we all want less mis and disinformation online – who gets to decide and define what is 'trustworthy' is ripe for abuse," she told The Register.

"Just look elsewhere for evidence. In the USA, for example, Donald Trump calls CNN and other heritage news companies 'fake news.' Do we essentially want to give leaders more power to control what we do and don't see?"

Social media news reforms must therefore be "transparent and proportionate," according to Hanna Basha, a partner at London law firm Payne Hicks Beach.

"The government is right to consider how trusted and regulated news providers can remain visible and accessible to the public," she said.

"However, any new prominence requirements will need to be carefully balanced against freedom of expression and existing obligations on platforms under the UK's online safety framework, while providing clarity about how trusted news sources are identified and promoted."

Also part of the Green Paper consultation is the future of television. DCMS notes the TV landscape is undergoing "a profound shift" from traditional broadcast to online linear viewing, creating a hybrid landscape between IPTV, traditional digital terrestrial television (DTT), satellite broadcasting, and cable.

While online-only access is growing, a significant number of viewers continue to rely on traditional broadcast platforms. But maintaining the DTT network beyond a certain point means broadcasters carry the costs of multiple distribution methods to an ever-shrinking number of households relying on DTT.

It believes this point may come as early as 2034, but that the government will set out the plan for a managed switch-off of DTT services, either on expiry of current licenses on December 31, 2034, or following a time-limited extension to December 31, 2044.

The Media Green Paper public consultation started on June 23 and will run for ten weeks until midnight on August 31. Those wishing to respond can do so here, or by sending an email to watchthisspace@dcms.gov.uk. ®