May 7, 2024 Announcement of “Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives Regarding Dis-/Mis-information on the Internet”

 This is to announce that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has compiled the “Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives Regarding Dis-/Mis-information on the Internet.” The purpose of this “Initiatives” is to facilitate a reference for a wide range of stakeholders in the civil society, industry, academia, and the government regarding countermeasures against dis-/mis-information on the Internet and promote coordination and cooperation both domestically and internationally.

 The rapid development of new technologies and services, such as generative AI and the metaverse, accelerates the trends toward the expansion and deepening of the digital space and further diversifies the stakeholders in the digital space. With regard to these new issues, a comprehensive study is needed to ensure healthy information distribution in the digital space regarding the basic philosophies and roles of each stakeholder to realize these philosophies in the private sector, industry, academia and government, as well as specific measures to promote such the roles. MIC convenes a “Expert Group on How to Ensure Healthy Information Distribution in the Digital Space” (Chaired by SHISHIDO George, Professor, Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, The University of Tokyo) (hereinafter referred to as “the Expert Group”).
 At the fifth meeting of the Expert Group (December 25, 2023), it was decided to update the “Collection of Initiatives Concerning Countermeasures Against Disinformation Ver. 1.0” prepared and published by the “Study Group on Platform Services” (Chaired by SHISHIDO George, Professor, Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, The University of Tokyo) in March of the same year. From Tuesday, February 6 to Monday, March 11 this year, opinions on initiatives were solicited from a wide range of stakeholders in the civil society, industry, academia, and the government (collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders; literacy, human resource development, and public awareness; fact checking; research, development, and implementation; international collaboration and cooperation; etc.) concerning countermeasures against dis-/mis- information on the Internet.

 This is to announce that the “Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives Regarding Dis-/Mis-information on the Internet” has been compiled. The purpose of this “Initiatives” is to facilitate a reference for a wide range of stakeholders, including digital platform providers, in response to the Call for Opinions and the hearing at the Expert Group, and promoting collaboration and cooperation both domestically and internationally.

< Related material >
 ○ Expert Group on How to Ensure Healthy Information Distribution in the Digital Space
  https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/kenkyu/digital_space/index.html
 ○ “Collection of Initiatives Concerning Countermeasures Against Disinformation Ver. 1.0” (the Study Group on Platform Services)
  https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000868124.pdf

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  The materials are available only in Japanese.