The U.S. government raised serious concerns that a U.K. proposal to prioritize trustworthy news on tech platforms could enable viewpoint-based censorship. The rules would require social media and video-sharing platforms to make content from public service media and approved news providers more prominent in user feeds.
U.S. officials stated that compelling platforms to boost government-preferred media is functionally similar to the outright removal of disfavored sources. The U.K.’s News Media Association also warned that allowing the state to define trustworthy journalism is incompatible with a free press.
The U.K. government intends for the plan to counter misinformation. It aims to ensure the visibility of public service content as news consumption shifts toward social platforms.