Germany Proposes Law Requiring Social Media Algorithms to Boost State-Approved News Outlets
By
Cindy Harper
4d ago· 3 min readenNews
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Summary
Germany's state media regulators are developing a system that would legally require social media platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to algorithmically boost content from government-approved "reliable" news outlets. A leaked document from Apollo News reveals the plan, which raises concerns about who decides what qualifies as "reliable" news — the regulators themselves are appointed through a chain starting with the same politicians whose coverage they would be curating. This has sparked debate about government control over media and algorithmic amplification.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe regulators who would decide what counts as 'reliable' news are appointed through a chain that starts with the same politicians whose coverage they'd be curating.
A leaked document, obtained by Apollo News, lays out the plan and if it goes ahead, a state authority will decide which media organizations count as 'reliable'
platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok will be legally required to make those outlets'
> The regulators who would decide what counts as "reliable" news are appointed through a chain that starts with the same politicians whose coverage they'd be cu...
