Safeguarding the information space: Disinformation policies in the EU and Ukraine

Abstract

Those who control the information space control society's ability to form opinions and influence policies. The 2014 riots in Ukraine were the first warning sign of the new challenge presented by disinformation and the capacity of Russian state media to spread lies and misleading images. Ukraine can therefore be considered a testing ground in this regard. Russian disinformation in the EU and Ukraine seeks both to influence society and to discredit institutions, to sow discord and to generate distrust of the media and governments, all of which has helped to erode their democracies. This paper is a comparative study of good practices in the EU and Ukraine for creating societies that are resilient against disinformation, while protecting democracy in the intermediation process.