According to a new U.K. Government Report, a State regulator should ensure tech firms like Facebook, Google and Apple are taking steps to help users identify trustworthy, reliable news on their platforms.

It also said that the regulator would require the firms to build on initiatives they have already established to weed out fake content. They should also agree to code of conduct to govern their commercial agreements with publishers.

Highlights:

• Findings of Report could add weight for further regulation of tech companies in Britain and across Europe.
• Recommendations are non-binding and will now be considered by Govt.
• U.K.'s Competition Authority to investigate online advertising industry to ensure fair competition.
• Govt. to take steps to ensure position of the firms does not do undue harm to publishers.

Last week, Antitrust Authority of Germany ruled that Facebook had abused its market dominance in collection and merging of user data and held it cannot combine data from separate apps like Instagram and WhatsApp without users' consent.

For more: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/778021/021119_THE_CAIRNCROSS_REVIEW_A_sustainable_future_for_journalism.pdf