Tackling foreign influence in media, experts call on EU to step up action – Euractiv

The European Union and its member states face significant foreign interference in politics and democracy, where legal and policy gaps are increasingly being exploited. To combat the harmful influence, the bloc must step up action and go beyond politics.

This was the common call made by participants during the recent Euractiv conference. virtual conference about the threats to media freedom in Europe and how to protect it in an increasingly polarized society that trusts the media less and less.

“This is a global fight. Democracy cannot be taken for granted. The EU must pay attention to countries that face malign influence from Russia and understand that these hybrid attacks are spreading within the EU,” Georgian journalist Katie Shoshiashvili told the panellists.

“Not everything can be caught up in the form of politics. Understanding how quickly and in what form events are developing is something that European countries should take into account, along with countries like Georgia,” she said.

The country’s Foreign Influence Transparency Law, adopted earlier this year, was met with considerable criticism. Venice Commission of the Council of Europe recommended repealing the law because it has “significant negative consequences.”

OSCE/ODIHR dubbed the law is “incompatible” with democratic standards and human rights law because Georgia is part of the organization. He called on the authorities to repeal the law and take steps to bring their legislation into line with international standards.

According to lawNon-governmental organizations (NGOs) and media outlets that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from foreign sources are required to register as organizations “pursuing the interests of a foreign power.”

Joining the dark side

Analyzing why some journalists decide to “cross over to the dark side” and become tools in the hands of those who finance the spread of disinformation to exert their harmful influence, MEP Sergei Lagodinsky called it “a matter of internal principles and ethics.” .

“It’s not just about funding, it’s also about structures and having something like a joint strategy center or journalism centers with our Eastern Neighborhood partners to mitigate these attacks,” he suggested increasing cooperation in this area of ​​mutual cooperation. interest.

Lagodinsky also noted the stark difference in the “problematic” role that state media play in Eastern Europe and in the EU, where they are often seen as “the last hope for free, balanced journalism.”

“It is extremely important to provide a financial basis for those journalists who would otherwise have no choice but to join the dark side of the media landscape. They need another option,” he continued.

Lagodinsky said the EU has the financial tools to make an offer journalists cannot refuse, so they can work with a better “journalistic consciousness” and feel they are doing the “right thing”.

Regulation and solutions

Discussing what could help make European journalism more sustainable, Sofia Karttunen from DG Connect mentioned Article 4 of the Freedom of the Media Act, which contains certain guarantees for media service providers and journalists.

Karttunen explained that member states have an obligation to ensure the protection of journalistic sources and confidential communications. Some rules require Member States to ensure that European public service media have adequate, sustainable and predictable financial resources.

Under the new law, media service providers must be transparent – albeit to a limited extent – about their ownership structure, with an obligation to take measures to guarantee editorial decisions, independence and freedom.

“It’s not just about the money. We can support journalists with training, money, etc., but we are talking about their safety, their lives, the position of self-censorship in which they are placed in some countries,” EDMO Secretary General Paula Gori added to the discussion.

She mentioned strengthening social resilience through media literacy, supporting independent fact-checking, and investing in research to understand and successfully address misinformation and harmful influences.

“Disinformers tend to play on our negative emotions,” Gorey said, explaining that a large percentage of the population is “frustrated, angry and not living the life they expected,” making them “the perfect target” for disinformers.

“Media literacy is a lifelong process,” Gori also said, emphasizing the need for initiatives even outside of schools. However, she concluded that developing effective strategies is not an easy task.

(Edited by Brian Maguire | Law laboratory Euractiv )