From Covid-19 to the US presidential election and talk of vaccines, 2020 has seen its share of fake news on social media. This veritable "infodemic" of misinformation has forced platforms and states to take action. In 2021, a dual combat will need to be led simultaneously on economic and political fronts, especially with an upcoming French presidential election in view.
"The phenomenon of misinformation is growing bigger and the stakes are high for democracy," explains David Lacombled, president of La Villa Numeris, a French think tank on the digital economy. In 2020, with the Covid-19 pandemic, fake news engulfed the media, from TV to social networks and private messaging applications. And anxiety helped fuel the viral nature of such content.