Morocco Introduces New Fake News Penalties Ahead of September 23 Elections
Casablanca – Morocco has introduced new legal provisions to criminalize the spread of fake news and other misleading digital content during the September 23 legislative elections, which will renew all 395 seats of the House of Representatives.
The measures address the use of information and communication technologies to publish or share statements or images of a person without their consent, as well as fake news, false claims, inaccurate facts, or falsified documents intended to harm the privacy or reputation of voters and candidates.
The new rules are contained in Article 51-bis, introduced through Organic Law 53.25, which amends and supplements Organic Law 27.11 concerning the House of Representatives.
The provision also penalizes the circulation of rumors or fake news that cast doubt on the credibility and transparency of elections. The legislation comes as digital platforms and artificial intelligence tools have increased the ability to produce and spread falsified content.
The new article seeks to address these changes while protecting the electoral process from manipulation, defamation, and the circulation of false digital material. It also states that the measures should not restrict freedom of opinion and expression, which is guaranteed by Morocco’s...
The new rules also cover the use of digital tools and artificial intelligence to spread falsified content targeting voters and candidates. Morocco Introduces New Fake News Penalties Ahead of Septem...
