EU’s New ‘Democracy Shield’ Prompts Free Speech Concerns

Brussels says the plan will defend democracy from disinformation but critics warn it will centralize narrative control and treat ‘dissent as a regulatory risk.’
EU’s New ‘Democracy Shield’ Prompts Free Speech Concerns
Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen looks on during a "Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030" press conference in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 16, 2025. Yves Herman/Reuters
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The European Commission’s new European Democracy Shield claims it will “counter information manipulation and disinformation” and strengthen democratic resilience through a “whole-of-society approach.”

But critics warn that by centralizing narrative control in Brussels, the EU risks outsourcing press freedom to government-funded bodies and transforming democratic debate into a managed information system.

Owen Evans
Owen Evans
Author
Owen Evans is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of national stories, with a particular interest in civil liberties and free speech.