Editor’s Note
This article highlights the proactive measures being taken by major platforms like Meta and LINE Yahoo to combat online impersonation scams. It serves as a timely reminder of the evolving regulatory landscape, underscored by the EU’s new enforcement powers, and the shared responsibility of tech companies in protecting users.
So, have social media operators just been sitting on their hands?
Meta has publicly announced the development of technology to detect impersonation scam advertisements. It takes measures such as removing ads that violate its policies and disabling advertiser accounts to prevent new ads from being delivered.
LINE Yahoo has implemented a system that displays a warning, “Beware of scams misusing LINE,” when a user is added to a group chat by someone not on their friend list. It also shows a stance of strengthening identity verification for advertisers.
TikTok’s Japanese subsidiary prohibits advertisements that use videos or images of celebrities without permission. It conducts a three-stage ad review process and continues to verify the trustworthiness of websites displayed after a click, even after the ad is live.
However, from a global perspective, the impression that Japan’s legal preparations are lagging is undeniable. In July 2022, the European Union (EU) Parliament passed the “Digital Services Act (DSA),” which obligates major IT companies to remove illegal online content, including disinformation. It includes strict provisions, such as fines of up to 6% of global revenue for repeated violations and lack of countermeasures.
It feels like the Japanese government has finally started to move, albeit slowly. The draft compiled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ expert panel specifies measures including: (1) strengthening pre-screening of online ads, publishing standards, and establishing removal mechanisms; (2) obligating social media operators to have review systems, application windows for ad suspension, and reliable identity verification; and (3) speeding up and ensuring transparency in the removal of disinformation based on requests from administrative agencies.
