Google will contribute 25 million euros to the newly created European Media and Information Fund to combat fake news, Reuters reports.

“While navigating the uncertainty and challenges of the last year, it has proven more important than ever for people to access accurate information, and sort facts from fiction,” Matt Brittin, head of Google’s EMEA Business & Operations, said in a blog post.

The COVID-19 pandemic and US elections last year sparked a massive spike in misinformation, with some blaming social media for not being more proactive in addressing the issue, while regulators have indicated they can take action. using hard restrictions.

The European Media and Information Fund to combat fake news, launched last week by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the European University Institute, aims to engage fact-checkers, non-profit organizations and other public interest institutions to help combat fake news.

The fund is valid for five years. The European Digital Media Observatory, a project of the European Commission created last year and composed of fact-checkers and academic researchers, will evaluate and select projects.