Disinformation and Misinformation – EC Library Guide: Selected EU publications
Selected EU publications
2025
- Code of conduct on disinformation – As amended in October 2024
European Commission: Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, Code of conduct on disinformation – As amended in October 2024, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025.
Following the European Commission Guidance on Strengthening the Code of Practice on Disinformation the European Commission Communication on the European Democracy Action Plan the European Commission Communication “Tackling online disinformation: a European approach, the Council Conclusions of 28 June 2018, and the various important initiatives taking place across Europe to address the challenges posed by the dissemination of disinformation, the Signatories of the present Code of Practice (the “Code”) recognise their role in contributing to the fight against Disinformation, which for the rest of the Code is considered to include misinformation, disinformation , information influence operations and foreign interference in the information space (“Disinformation”).
The Signatories recognise and agree with the European Commission’s conclusions that “[t]he exposure of citizens to large scale Disinformation, including misleading or outright false information, is a major challenge for Europe,” and that “our open democratic societies depend on public debates that allow well-informed citizens to express their will through free and fair political processes. c. As stressed in the Communication, fundamental rights must be fully respected in all the actions taken to fight Disinformation. The Signatories are mindful of the fundamental right to freedom of expression, freedom of information, and privacy, and of the delicate balance that must be struck between protecting fundamental rights and taking effective action to limit the spread and impact of otherwise lawful content. All of the Commitments and Measures herein should be interpreted and implemented in accordance with EU rules on fundamental rights, and, in situations where fundamental rights may conflict, in accordance with the principle of proportionality.
- DSA elections toolkit for digital services coordinators – Instruments, best practices, and lessons learnt
European Commission: Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, DSA elections toolkit for digital services coordinators – Instruments, best practices, and lessons learnt, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025.
The DSA Elections Toolkit for Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs) aims to guide the DSCs’ contribution to the whole-of-society effort to protect the integrity of electoral processes in the European Union, with the ultimate goal of protecting EU citizens’ fundamental rights, particularly the freedom of expression and information, the right to vote and the right to stand as a candidate. The toolkit has been compiled by the European Board for Digital Services and the European Commission as part of a broader collective effort under the Digital Services Act (DSA) - to develop expertise and capabilities on systemic and emerging issues across the EU. Based on the Commission’s Election Guidelines issued in April 2024, the toolkit summarises approaches, methods, and actions the DSCs have piloted to support more effective tailoring and better performance of mitigation measures by Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines ((VLOSEs) in the electoral contexts of individual Member States.
These mitigation measures concern a wide range of phenomena that can be detrimental to the integrity of electoral processes, such as the spread of illegal hate speech and online harassment of candidates or election workers, manipulation of public opinion, including through impersonation and other deceptive uses of AI generated content, or coordinated inauthentic behaviour linked to foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). For this reason, the toolkit is intended to dynamically evolve to reflect the changes in the threat environment and the continuous adaptation of mitigation practices. Ensuring compliance with obligations to mitigate systemic risks for electoral processes is the exclusive competence of the Commission. Nevertheless, DSCs play an important role in sharing relevant information, developing knowledge and supporting cooperation between stakeholders at a national level. The role of DSCs is not to enforce these obligations, but to raise awareness among all election stakeholders about the DSA tools that can contribute to safeguarding election integrity.
- Trust in science for policy Nexus – Workshop report, “Trust in Science for Policy”, 12-13 September 2024, Ispra Italy
Scharfbillig, M., Allegra, A., Brossard, D., Cassio, L. G., Cologna, V. et al., Trust in science for policy Nexus, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025.
Publication metadata
The "Trust in Science for Policy Nexus" workshop, held in Ispra, Italy, on September 12-13, 2024, convened by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, the International Science Council, and co-sponsored by the US National Science Foundation, explored the intricate dynamics of trust in science as it relates to policymaking. This workshop addressed the challenges and strategies for fostering trust among scientists, policymakers, and the public, particularly in the context of disinformation and the current political situation. One of the most fundamental questions was how far issues of trust in science for policy can be separated from issues of trust in democratic institutions in general.
Discussions highlighted the need to integrate scientific evidence in a credible way into policymaking to bolster public trust in specific policies and the democratic system more generally. Furthermore, there is a need for clear governance frameworks to manage expectations and ensure scientific integrity, to support scientists as "honest brokers" and to tackle criticism regarding the limitations of science. The workshop highlighted that, while scientific evidence can strengthen policymaking and trust in political decisions and institutions, science is subject to human fallibility and scientific controversies, calling for a nuanced understanding of trust that recognises the benefits and limits of science in policymaking. The workshop also identified the need for further research into the complex relationships between scientific institutions, policymakers, and the public, emphasizing the importance of transparent, responsible, and inclusive scientific practices to enhance trust in democratic governance.
- Unpacking the truth – A game to combat disinformation with EU resources – Teachers’ kit
Publications Office of the European Union, 2025.
Discover "Unpacking the Truth," a new educational game designed to tackle disinformation head-on. Produced by the Publications Office of the EU and the European Commission Representation in Luxembourg, this interactive classroom activity empowers students aged 16 to 18 with critical thinking and fact-checking skills. Dive into a fictional social media post and navigate the world of false claims with the guidance of captivating EU-themed characters. Through engaging gameplay, students will learn to utilise EU resources to debunk disinformation effectively.
2024
- Cross-border and emerging risks in Europe – Overview of state of science, knowledge and capacity
European Commission: Joint Research Centre, Corbane, C., Eklund, G., Gyenes, Z., Lentini, A. et al., Cross-border and emerging risks in Europe – Overview of state of science, knowledge and capacity, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
In this report, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) expands its exploration of complex disaster risks that transcend national borders and introduce novel challenges to the European Union. Taking stock of previous JRC flagship reports on understanding risks (Science for Disaster Risk Management Book Series and the Recommendations for National Risk Assessment versions 0 and 1), this document addresses the multi-faceted nature of cross-border and emerging risks in Europe. The report collects the contributions from expert teams across 8 JRC directorates and external partners. It analyses the current landscape of risks characterized by their potential for widespread impact across the continent, necessitating a coordinated European response.
The work leverages historical data and recent scientific advances that address both cross-border risks such as natural disasters and anthropogenic crises, and emerging risks that include technological and socio-economic challenges. This comprehensive assessment helps in understanding and managing cross-border and emerging risks, including environmental, health, and technological threats. It emphasizes the importance of integrated approaches and improved data sharing to better anticipate and prepare for potential disasters. The findings advocate for the incorporation of transboundary considerations in risk management strategies to effectively handle the interconnected and complex nature of today’s risks. Emerging from an increased need for an integrated approach in disaster risk management (DRM), this report underscores the importance of the EU’s continued research on understanding the root causes of risks and in adaptation and mitigation strategies to enhance resilience.
- Defending democracy in the age of information disorder – A comparative study of resilience and responses to disinformation in four EU countries
Hans KUNSTMAN, European University Institute, 2024.
Disinformation is commonly identified as one of the most urgent threats to European democracies. Although the topic has only recently gained popularity in academic literature, governmental actors have addressed the perceived threat of disinformation with legislation and policies. Scholars have successfully identified which factors determine a country’s resilience to disinformation. Policy responses have not been studied systematically, especially not in relation to insights on resilience.
This study aims to establish how countries differ from each other, and how these differences are reflected in policy responses. Four EU countries are compared: Italy, Hungary, The Netherlands and Lithuania. These countries are compared based on their resilience and their responses to disinformation. EU policies are also analysed in relation to differences between countries. I argue that the most vulnerable countries are the least responsive. The results of the analysis indicate substantial differences between countries on resilience and on responses.
- EDMO experts’ feedback on structural indicators for the EU code of practice on disinformation
European University Institute, Chystoforova, K. and Reviglio, U., EDMO experts’ feedback on structural indicators for the EU code of practice on disinformation, European University Institute, 2024.
In September 2022, the Center for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) of the European University Institute within the EDMO project put forward the initial pilot methodology for Structural Indicators to monitor the Code of Practice on Disinformation (CoP), as called for in the 2022 update of the CoP. EDMO has also assembled a group of experts with outstanding combined expertise in researching disinformation and measuring anti-disinformation policy effectiveness. The mandate of this group is to contribute, on a voluntary basis, possible complementary and alternative approaches to the initial proposal on Structural Indicators. As part of this process, EDMO conducted a series of interviews with 17 members of the Expert Group between June 11 and September 19, to seek their feedback on the Proposal. This report is a summary of the insights and suggestions voiced during these interviews.
- ENISA threat landscape 2024 – July 2023 to June 2024
European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, Lella, I., Theocharidou, M., Magonara, E., Malatras, A. et al., ENISA threat landscape 2024 – July 2023 to June 2024, Lella, I.(editor), Theocharidou, M.(editor), Magonara, E.(editor), Malatras, A.(editor), Svetozarov Naydenov, R.(editor), Ciobanu, C.(editor) and Chatzichristos, G.(editor), 2024.
2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, ENISA. ENISA has been constantly monitoring the cybersecurity threat landscape and monitoring on its state with its annual ENISA Threat Landscape (ETL) report and additionally with a series of situational awareness and cyber threat intelligence products. Over time, the ETL has served as a crucial tool for comprehending the present state of cybersecurity within the European Union (EU), furnishing insights into trends and patterns. This, in turn, has guided pertinent decisions and prioritisation of actions and recommendations in the domain of cybersecurity. Reporting over the course of 2023 and 2024, ETL highlights findings on the cybersecurity threat landscape during a yearlong geopolitical escalation.
Throughout the latter part of 2023 and the initial half of 2024, there was a notable escalation in cybersecurity attacks, setting new benchmarks in both the variety and number of incidents, as well as their consequences. The ongoing regional conflicts still remain a significant factor shaping the cybersecurity landscape. The phenomenon of hacktivism has seen steady expansion, with major events taking place (e.g. European Elections) providing the motivation for increased hacktivist activity. 7 prime cybersecurity threats were identified, with threats against availability topping the chart and followed by ransomware and threats against data, and the report provides a relevant deep-dive on each one of them by analysing several thousand publicly reported cybersecurity incidents and events: Ransomware Malware Social Engineering Threats against data Threats against availability: Denial of Service Information manipulation and interference Supply chain attacks The report is complemented by a detailed analysis of the vulnerability landscape during 2023 and 2024, as well as a detailed analysis of four distinct threat actors’ categories, namely: State-nexus actors; Cybercrime actors and hacker-for-hire actors; Private Sector Offensive actors (PSOA); Hacktivists.
- Facing fake news, populism and disinformation
Briefing, European Parliament, 2024.
Fake news and coordinated disinformation campaigns have become in recent years instruments of political interference, as highlighted by Parliament’s special committee looking into the matter in the ninth term.The June 2024 European elections and several national elections were targeted by information manipulation incidents.
- How to reduce the impact of disinformation on Europeans’ health
European Parliament: Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union, Aouati, O., Freguglia, P., Heiss, R., Patras, S. et al., How to reduce the impact of disinformation on Europeans’ health, European Parliament, 2024.
This paper provides a broad overview of the emerging challenges connected with disinformation in the area of health, how it spreads and the damage it causes. The report highlights proposed or implemented measures at national, European and international level to address health-related disinformation, accompanied by recommendations to mitigate its impact on the well-being of Europeans.
- How to spot and fight disinformation – Toolkit for teachers
European Commission: Directorate-General for Communication, How to spot and fight disinformation – Toolkit for teachers, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
This toolkit aims to give secondary teachers resources in order to start conversations with their students about the important questions raised by the spread of false information, and more specifically disinformation. This has become an increasing problem in recent years. These relate to health, democracy, the environment, and the cultural and legal norms underpinning our societies.
- Mapping threats to peace and democracy worldwide – Normandy index 2024
European Parliament: Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services, Lazarou, E., Bassot, E. and Stanicek, B., Mapping threats to peace and democracy worldwide – Normandy index 2024, Bassot, E.(editor), European Parliament, 2024.
Conflict is rarely confined to the geographical space in which wars take place. The increasingly global effects – human, material and political – of wars and conflicts make a view of the level of threats to peace, security and democracy around the world more important than ever. The 'Normandy Index' has presented an annual measurement of these threats since the 2019 Normandy Peace Forum. The results of the 2024 exercise suggest the level of threats to peace is the highest since the Index began, confirming declining trends in global security resulting from conflict, geopolitical rivalry, growing militarisation and hybrid threats.
The findings of the 2024 exercise draw on data compiled in 2023-2024 to compare peace – defined on the basis of a given country's performance against a range of predetermined threats – across countries and regions. A series of 63 individual country case studies To complete the picture of the state of peace today. Designed and prepared by the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), in conjunction with and on the basis of data provided by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the Normandy Index is produced in partnership with the Region of Normandy. The paper forms part of the EPRS contribution to the 2024 Normandy World Peace Forum.
- Minds and machines – Foreign interference in the digital space
European Union Institute for Security Studies and Kovalčíková, N., Minds and machines – Foreign interference in the digital space, Kovalčíková, N.(editor), Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
This Chaillot Paper delves into the phenomenon of foreign interference and the risk it poses to democratic societies. It explores the interplay between information manipulation and disruptive cyber operations, revealing their role as complementary components within a broader strategy. Dedicated chapters examine how interference manifests across various sectors, including social, political, economic, digital and security domains, describing existing tools and evolving policy frameworks. Each case study follows a clear structure, presenting an incident, its effects and the implemented responses. The volume concludes by identifying convergences and divergences across the cases studied, and highlights foreign interference as a critical and growing threat to transnational security. It offers targeted recommendations on how the EU can significantly bolster its defences and resilience against this threat.
- Report on the European elections – Digital Services Act and code of practice on disinformation
European Commission: Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, Report on the European elections – Digital Services Act and code of practice on disinformation, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
The Digital Services Act (DSA) is a new, global first-of-its kind rulebook for platform responsibility. With the DSA, the European Union possesses a powerful regulatory framework to assess and mitigate risks to the information environment in the EU, while safeguarding fundamental rights. The DSA is complemented by the Code of Practice on Disinformation, the first worldwide industryled framework in the digital field and source of industry best practices to limit the spread of online disinformation. This report gives an overview of the actions taken by the European Commission and Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs) to monitor compliance and to enforce the DSA, as well as the actions undertaken under the Code of Practice on Disinformation and the actions taken by the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) in the context of the European elections that took place between 6 and 9 June 2024. This report is not an assessment by the Commission of the actions undertaken by VLOPSEs for the European elections.
- Strengthening resilience in the East – How the EU can empower countries against foreign interference
European Union Institute for Security Studies, Kovalčíková, N., De Agostini, L. and Catena, B., Strengthening resilience in the East – How the EU can empower countries against foreign interference, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
Foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) challenges EU strategic interests in the Eastern Neighbourhood, impacting not just communication and democratic processes but also partner countries’ security. In the ‘Eastern trio’ of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, FIMI risks have escalated, threatening both candidate countries and the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The EU should consider adapting its CSDP to address these rising threats, as highlighted in the new Civilian Compact, and prioritise integrating FIMI countermeasures into the core of its CSDP efforts, especially in regions of strategic interest. EUPM Moldova demonstrates how CSDP can strengthen resilience across multiple domains. The mission could serve as a blueprint for designing more flexible CSDP missions to respond to this challenge.
- Tackling disinformation and information manipulation
European Commission: Directorate-General for Communication, Tackling disinformation and information manipulation, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
Democracy is one of the fundamental values of our European Union. It is at the heart of our open and transparent societies. In the European Union, citizens can freely express their views, participate in democratic life, and choose their political representatives. However, false information has increased in recent years and can affect various aspects of our lives: health, public security, trust in democracy, climate and the environment, migration and fundamental rights and values that underpin our societies.
- Trustworthy public communication – How public communicators can strengthen our democracies
European Commission: Joint Research Centre, Smillie, L. and Scharfbillig, M., Trustworthy public communication – How public communicators can strengthen our democracies, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
This report provides evidence-based insights and recommendations on how public communicators can strengthen democracies by navigating (new) information ecosystems in ways that earn the trust of citizens. At a time when trust in government is increasingly important to democracy, the report aims to support public administrations in tackling the societal challenges in communication faced around the globe. The report combines state-of-the-art scientific knowledge and insights from experts, new empirical research on the moralisation of policies and values-targeted communication strategies, and input from citizens on this topic to provide practical guidance to policymakers and public administration communications professionals.
2023
- Enhancing the capabilities of CSDP missions and operations to identify and respond to disinformation attacks: In-depth analysis
European Parliament, Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union, Fridman, O., Baudais, V., et al., European Parliamentary, 2023.
With more and more disinformation campaigns targeting the EU and its institutions in recent years, Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions and operations have also been subject to such attacks. While this analysis did not identify systematic disinformation campaigns against the EU CSDP missions and operations, it does not imply that the CSDP missions and operations are not on the radar of the malign actors creating and disseminating disinformation. In fact, their activities are occasionally used by malign actors to feed into their campaigns intended to undermine the EU and its allies, which constitute the main target of these campaigns.
- Social media platforms and challenges for democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights
European Parliament, Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union, Botero Arcila, B. and Griffin, R., European Parliamentary, 2023.
This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, examines risks that contemporary social media - focusing in particular on the most widely-used platforms - present for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. The study focuses on the governance of online content, provides an assessment of existing EU law and industry practices which address these risks, and evaluates potential opportunities and risks to fundamental rights and other democratic values.
2022
- Foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) and cybersecurity: Threat landscape
European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, Magonara, E. and Malatras, A., European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, 2022.
The EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and the European External Action Service (EEAS) have joined forces to study and analyse the threat landscape concerning Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) and disinformation. The concept of FIMI has been proposed by the EEAS, as a response to the call of the European Democracy Action Plan for a further refinement of the definitions around disinformation. Although disinformation is a prominent part of FIMI, FIMI puts emphasis on manipulative behaviour, as opposed to the truthfulness of the content being delivered. In light of broader hybrid threats that cross different domains, one of the main motivations behind this report is to identify ways to bring the cybersecurity and counter-FIMI communities closer together. The ambition is to provide an input to the on-going and ever-pressing discussion on the nature and dynamics of information manipulation and interference, including disinformation, and on how to collectively respond to this phenomenon
The report proposes and tests an analytical approach describing FIMI and manipulation of information, as well as the underlying cybersecurity elements, by combing practices from both domains: - For cybersecurity: The open methodological framework used by ENISA’s annual report on the state of the cybersecurity threat landscape, the ENISA Threat Landscape Reports3 - For FIMI: The open-source DISARM framework used to capture FIMI/disinformation By testing the framework on a limited set of events, the report serves as a proof of concept for the interoperability of the frameworks.
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