European Parliament adopted new proposals aimed at managing the growing influence of surveillance and misinformation in elections across the European Union. The legislation, passed during a plenary session in Strasbourg, targets the influx of potentially misleading content from non-EU web shops and social media platforms, with a focus on safeguarding electoral integrity. The vote saw 175 members in favor, 360 against, and 18 abstentions, reflecting a diverse range of perspectives among the 720-member Parliament. The measures include enhanced monitoring of online content during election periods, with plans to collaborate with third-party fact-checkers to flag and address false information within 24 hours. This initiative follows concerns raised by MEPs about the impact of digital surveillance on recent elections, including Romania’s presidential rerun in May 2025 and Poland’s presidential vote. The legislation also responds to a Polish Deputy Prime Minister’s letter to the EU Tech Commissioner, alleging a major infringement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) by platform X, though no specific penalties have been outlined yet. The proposals will now proceed to further review, with implementation expected to begin in early 2026, pending approval from the European Commission. The move underscores the EU’s ongoing efforts to adapt to technological challenges in democratic processes.
34news.online
34news.online
