Tackling Disinformation: EU Regulation of the Digital Space Cover Image

Tackling Disinformation: EU Regulation of the Digital Space
Tackling Disinformation: EU Regulation of the Digital Space

Author(s): Flavia Durach, Alina Bargaoanu, Cătălina Nastasiu
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Social Sciences, Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, International Law, Political Sciences, Civil Society, Governance, Public Administration, Public Law, Methodology and research technology, EU-Legislation, Geopolitics
Published by: Institutul European din România
Keywords: online disinformation; fake news; regulation of disinformation;

Summary/Abstract: This paper provides an overview of current responses to fake news and digital disinformation inside and outside the EU, and assesses the advantages and disadvantages of each solution. Four approaches emerge: (1) self-regulation (i.e. actions undertaken on a voluntary basis by the digital platforms); (2) co-regulation (i.e. cooperation framework between EU-level and national-level authorities, the internet platform companies, media organizations, researchers, and other stakeholders); (3) direct regulation (i.e. legal measures & sanctions); and (4) audience-centred solutions (i.e. factchecking and media literacy). We argue in favour of the co-regulation approach, while drawing attention to some current challenges in the response against disinformation. Furthermore, we need to go beyond the understanding of disinformation as an information/ truth fraud, and draw additional measures to reflect the particular understanding of disinformation as a form of users’ engagement fraud.

  • Issue Year: 20/2020
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 5-20
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: English