Google finds itself in a familiar place, facing scrutiny from regulators, particularly in the EU. Recent developments indicate that this scrutiny may intensify following the tech giant's decision to bypass new regulations concerning fact-checking.
According to a recent report, Google has formally notified the EU that it will not comply with forthcoming fact-checking legislation. This means that Google will not be integrating fact checks into its search results or YouTube content, nor will it utilize fact-checking data for content ranking or removal decisions.
As part of its effort to tackle misinformation, YouTube has introduced AI labels and enabled users to provide additional context to videos, reminiscent of similar initiatives by its competitors, such as X's Community Notes and Meta's potential plans. However, with Meta having ceased its fact-checking program in the US and X scaling back on professional fact-checkers, uncertainty looms over how these platforms will navigate EU regulations. As the deadline for compliance approaches, the EU's response to this defiance remains to be seen, but history suggests that investigations and fines could be imminent.
