The term Fake News encompasses a broad range of false information present in politics, healthcare, education, or any topic that is discussed in an increasingly polarized digital space. It’s clear that it is a complex problem, with no single right answer or rule to follow, which is why our team decided the most effective solution is to understand the mechanisms that drive the spread of misinformation and limit their ability to be abused by social media platforms by proposing a bill that holds online public forums accountable. The goal of the bill is to encourage these platforms to engage in more transparent, fair, and effective moderation. We started by analyzing previous solutions, specifically algorithmic approaches that label content at large scales, but we quickly understood that this approach is flawed due to the simple fact that right and wrong cannot be condensed into an algorithm. In light of this our solution proposes an advancement in the recognition of social media sites as platforms for public discourse, and the need for legislation that ensures users always know what their data is used for, and how it is influencing curated content that is generated on a daily basis.

Full Poster: A Legislative Approach to Combating Fake News