Countering Online Disinformation: Actions Taken and the Challenges Ahead

In recent years, the increasing importance of online content and social media platforms has enabled fake news and disinformation campaigns to travel faster than ever and to achieve unprecedented reach and societal impact.

Paolo Cesarini discusses the European policy response with a focus on the “Code of Practice on Disinformation”, which was introduced in 2018 and which is now under review. Mr Cesarini assesses the Code’s effectiveness and discusses the best future policy options to protect society and democracy from the threat of disinformation.

About the Speaker:

Paolo Cesarini is the Head of the Media Convergence and Social Media Unit in the European Commission, in the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology. Mr Cesarini previously worked in the European Commission Directorate-General for Competition where he served in roles which included the Head of Antitrust for various sectors such as the media, consumer goods, and manufacturing. Mr Cesarini has been teaching EU Competition Law as a visiting Professor at Siena University and as a lecturer at Montpellier University.