Competing views of democracy and disinformation in the EU

Despite broad support for the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), there is no shared European understanding of how disinformation threatens democracy. This is the conclusion of a new study analysing debates in the European Parliament.

The study, recently published in the Journal of Common Market Studies, shows that Members of the European Parliament disagree both on the nature of the problem of disinformation and on how it should be addressed.

“We can see a superficial consensus that disinformation is a problem, but beneath the surface there is considerable disagreement about what it means and how it should be managed”, says Sara Wissén, doctoral candidate in political science and co-author of the study.

Four competing perspectives

The researchers analysed 334 statements from plenary debates in the European Parliament concerning the Digital Services Act (DSA) during the period 2023–2025. Rather than identifying a unified position, they found four distinct conceptions of democracy shaping the debate on disinformation:

• Deliberative perspective: Emphasises the importance of shared facts and open discussion. Disinformation is viewed as a threat because it hinders collective, evidence-based decision-making.
• Classical liberal perspective: Regulation of disinformation risks restricting freedom of expression more than disinformation itself harms democracy.
• Pluralist perspective: Algorithm-driven platforms amplify certain voices and create power imbalances that disadvantage vulnerable groups.
• Populist perspective: Disinformation regulation is used by elites to silence oppositional voices.

These differing perspectives influence the solutions being advocated, ranging from stricter legislation to calls for the complete abolition of the DSA.

“Views on disinformation are fundamentally tied to how democracy itself is understood. That is why the disagreement becomes so profound”, says Linus Wahlberg, doctoral candidate in political science and co-author of the study.

Focus on internal disagreement within the EU

The issue of regulating disinformation has often been described as a site of democratic value conflict between the EU and the United States, particularly in relation to European regulations targeting American technology companies. However, the study shows that significant tensions also exist within the EU itself.

“The internal European disagreement surrounding the tension between freedom and security has largely been overlooked. Our study shows that it is central to understanding how policy is shaped", says Sara Wissén.

May affect the EU’s global role

The researchers argue that the findings are relevant for everyone working with digital regulation, from public authorities to civil society organisations and businesses. One conclusion is that the discussion is not primarily about what is true or false, but about underlying values.

“If we want to find sustainable solutions, we must understand the different conceptions of democracy underlying these positions”, says Linus Wahlberg.

The disagreement may also have implications for the EU’s international role.

“If Members of the European Parliament do not share a fundamental understanding of democracy, this may affect the EU’s ability to export coherent norms for digital governance and, ultimately, how the EU is perceived as an international actor”, he continues.