Japan Tightens Social Media in Elections, Platforms Not Punished

Japanese Parliament has passed a law that tightens the use of social media in elections. The rule prohibits the spread of false information about candidates and requires platform managers to limit its impact.

However, platform managers will not be sanctioned if they fail to carry out these obligations. The absence of punishment raises questions about the effectiveness of the new rules.

Kyodo News in its report, quoted on Monday, July 13, said the law was passed on Monday amid the increasing use of social media in political campaigns. Internet users are prohibited from spreading false information about candidates or distorting facts that could undermine election fairness.

The Japanese government is targeting the change in rules to take effect by March 1, 2027. The implementation is being prepared ahead of the simultaneous local elections in the spring, which is expected to be the next major democratic agenda in Japan.

The law was proposed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, as well as four opposition parties. The Japanese House of Councillors then approved it.

The new rules amend the Law on the Election of Public Positions and the Law on Information Distribution Platforms.

Users are also required to mark images or videos that are created or modified using artificial intelligence.

The cross-party law is designed to clamp down on false information during campaigns, without compromising freedom of expression and public access to accurate information.

Concerns about the influence of social media have grown after online strategies were deemed to have played a role in the LDP's landslide victory in February's election under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The Japanese Ministry of the Interior and Communications will draw up guidelines for platform managers. The implementation of these measures must be announced every year.

The additional resolution accompanying the law asks the ministry to prepare a number of examples of actions. This step includes suspending monetization, prioritizing information from trusted sources such as official websites, and displaying warnings to users.