The European approach to disinformation: comparing supranational and national measures

The first part outlines the constitutional protection of the right to freedom of expression in Europe and the intersection with disinformation. The second section focuses on the European approach to fight disinformation. The third section provides a comparative overview of the Member States’ approaches, focusing especially on Germany, Italy, France and the United Kingdom as examples of the approaches taken by legislators to tackle disinformation. The final remarks first point out the need to handle carefully the metaphor of “free Marketplace of ideas” in a Transatlantic Perspective and then focus on the European trends against disinformation, also taking into account the amplification of digital populism in the coronavirus pandemic.