Information integrity online and the European democracy shield

This briefing (767153) examines how information integrity—ensuring access to accurate information and protection from manipulation—is central to the European Democracy Shield (EDS). It aligns the EU’s approach with the UN Global Principles, highlighting key pillars such as trust, transparency, media pluralism, and public empowerment. The briefing presents the EDS as a framework that connects existing EU instruments (e.g. Digital Services Act, AI Act) with new measures to counter foreign information manipulation (FIMI). It also underscores the growing geostrategic dimension of the digital space, shaped by authoritarian influence and competition over AI.