In Japan, the authorities want to create a new label system for true information

It is a classic during major natural disasters. The affected region is often cut off from the world for a few hours or a few days and it is difficult to provide verified information on the exact situation on site. There are not always journalists in the area and communications are often very damaged. And so lots of people with bad intentions have fun circulating false information on the Internet and on social networks, whether Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or X, the former Twitter.

We saw it a lot in the days following the great earthquake of January 1 in the Noto Peninsula in Japan. Very quickly, some created fake videos by taking images of other tsunamis that had occurred in Japan in 2011 or in Southeast Asia. They also spread rumors that the evacuees would not be helped financially if they left the area. Others have announced nuclear disasters. And all this creates a lot of anxiety among the population who don’t know what to believe or not.

Electronic labels on each information

To combat this fake news, the Japanese government wants to promote a new information labeling system. It is an initiative that comes from the private sector, particularly from the major daily newspapers, the Yomiuri Shimbunit’s a little Le Figaro Japanese. He joined forces with other daily newspapers in the country, with TV channels and also with Japanese social networks to create a sort of electronic label on the news they produce, that is to say, on Every article, every photo or every video, there is an attached electronic link that confirms that the information was created and verified by professionals. If the video posted on a network is fake, it does not have the link validating its veracity. It’s a bit like the red label of information if you like. In Japan, we talk about OP technology, OP for Originator Profile, the profile of the original creator. This red label of information has been tested since the end of last year by several newspapers and television stations. And the government hopes to be able to generalize it in the country from next year.