The United States (US) should play a more active role in combating Russian propaganda and disinformation online, due to the threat to democracy, said European Commission Vice-President Vera Jourova.
Jourova stated that information manipulation was an extremely underestimated weapon.
"Most of the time, the situation is calmer. Rarely does an explosion occur and it is potentially dangerous, especially for democracies," Jourova said in a speech delivered at the Atlantic Council in Washington.
Jourova said she wants to reach out to the United States to cooperate with Europe.
"I think it's time for action for the United States, as the cradle of both democracy 200 years ago and the dot com or technological revolution about 20 years ago. In the past, people used to say that democracy dies in silence. Today, democracies can die in noise and cacophony," she added.
Washington has imposed sanctions on several Russian state-run television stations, which it says have spread disinformation to bolster Russia's war in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation."
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, some Russian state media outlets have been prevented from operating in the United States and several other Western countries due to sanctions or the withdrawal of their broadcasting licenses, steps that Moscow says show a disregard for media freedom.
Jourova said the United States and Europe must co-create a response to Russia's propaganda and the "Digital Wild West," going beyond their cooperation in the G7 and the Trade and Technology Council, a newly created forum initially as a transatlantic counterweight to China but now also focused on Russia.
"As a transatlanticist, I see a big role for the US to address these digital threats to democracy. We face similar problems, so it would make sense to find similar solutions," Jourova said.
As for Europe's efforts on the issue, Jourova cited tough new EU rules requiring Big Tech to crack down harder on fake news known as the Digital Services Act and the Code of Practice on Disinformation to which Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL.O) , Facebook and Twitter (TWTR.N) are registered.
(Article published by REUTERS)