Demonetising disinformation

In May 2024, Ursula von der Leyen, campaigning for her second term as President of the European Commission, introduced the European Democracy Shield – a concept initially focused on strengthening enforcement of the Digital Services Act, combating political deepfakes, and proposing a pan-European anti-disinformation watchdog modelled after Swedish and French agencies. The idea was incorporated into the Commission’s political guidelines for 2024–2029, and its scope has since broadened beyond technology oversight. The ongoing public consultation highlights four main priorities: countering disinformation and foreign interference, safeguarding election integrity, strengthening democratic frameworks, and fostering citizen participation.

Despite these efforts, the tech industry remains difficult for regulators to keep pace with. Recent events — such as a constitutional crisis in Romania linked to online platform activity, shifting platform policies influenced by the US political landscape, and the rapid growth of the creator economy — underscore the need for actionable solutions. A key focus is making the regulatory framework effective, with particular attention to demonetising disinformation.

This roundtable aimed to feed into that debate by presenting a series of policy proposals part of FEPS’ policy brief “Demonetisation of anti-democratic and extreme content,” by Jakub Szymik.

For more information regarding this event, please do not hesitate to contact Luis Sáez Jiménez, Project Officer (luis.saez@feps-europe.eu).

❗️Demonitising disinformation is essential to implement the European Democracy Shield #EDS effectively. Read the new policy brief "Demonetisation of anti-democratic and extreme content”
📕https://t.co/1is545lySk

Today, at the European Parliament, we presented the policy brief… https://t.co/FxLZBPC2VU

— FEPS (@FEPS_Europe) May 20, 2025