As threats to democratic institutions across Europe escalate, ranging from foreign interference and disinformation to social media manipulation, Europe MédiaLab has submitted a detailed response to the European Commission’s European Democracy Shield consultation. This initiative, part of the EU’s broader defence of democratic values, aims to create a strategic and structural framework to protect democracy and rebuild public trust.
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Our contribution stresses that safeguarding democracy requires more than policy declarations; it demands enforceable regulation, modern infrastructure, and significant investment. These three pillars shape the organisation’s central recommendations.
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Regulation: Address Behaviour, Not Just Law
While the EU has already introduced powerful tools like the Digital Services Act (DSA), we think that enforcement must be the priority. Rather than introducing excessive new legislation, the focus should be on effectively applying existing rules to digital platforms. Central to this is the integration of trust indicators into algorithms. These indicators would prioritise credible journalism and directly impact revenue distribution from digital advertising—penalising disinformation and rewarding trustworthy content.
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Infrastructure: Build European Media and Platform Sovereignty
The consultation response makes a strong case for strengthening Europe’s digital and media sovereignty. This includes encouraging cross-border consolidation of media and ensuring that independent journalism can adapt to the technological challenges ahead, particularly artificial intelligence. One of the proposals is the creation of European Trusted Platforms—ethical alternatives to non-European social media giants that would uphold democratic values and protect the integrity of the public information space.
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Funding: Scale Up to Match the Challenge
Europe MédiaLab underscores that none of this can be achieved without bold, targeted investment. The EU should significantly expand funding for journalism through instruments such as NEWS, InvestEU NEWS, and the Media and Audiovisual Action Plan (MAAP). Crucially, this support must not stop at the EU’s borders; funding should also reach neighbourhood and candidate countries to promote resilience across the continent.
As a conclusion, we see the Democracy Shield not as a symbolic gesture, but as a blueprint for action. Democracy must be protected at every level and citizens, companies, and institutions have a role to play in creating an information environment that empowers rather than misleads