European experience in counteracting disinformation influences

Abstract

Information-psychological influences, attacks, and operations do not have a physical manifestation but generate destabilizing internal and external processes within a state. These processes cause aggression, anxiety, and dissatisfaction among the population, potentially leading to open physical conflict. The use of the Internet enables extremist organizations to access mass media, spreading propaganda, informing about their goals, tasks, measures, and forms of support. The authors emphasize the significant impact of modern information and communication technologies on increasing threats to political stability and the security of any state. The aim of this paper is to highlight foreign experiences regarding organizational and legal measures that prevent the spread of disinformation, aimed at inciting hostility and hatred within a state. The study draws on experiences from large-scale protest actions, organized and coordinated through social networks on the Internet. The authors note that blogs, social networks, electronic maps, and video hosting sites are currently used without restrictions for political destabilization. Social networks enable immediate support from like-minded individuals and the publication of extremist materials, which contribute to the escalation of socio-political, ethnic, and interfaith conflicts. The main research methods are comparative analysis, statistical method, historical method, structural-functional method of cognition. Having studied the periods of formation of the system for countering the spread of disinformation in the EU, the authors concluded that the work on countering the spread of disinformation is conducted comprehensively and systematically and is constantly being improved in accordance with the challenges. In the EU countries, not only the practice of combating disinformation has been developed, but also an array of normative legal acts has been adopted to prevent the spread of disinformation. The European experience demonstrates the importance of a balance between freedom of speech and security measures in the information space. Such a comprehensive and conceptual approach should be the basis for creating a system for countering the spread of disinformation in Ukraine.