Article from EU vs Disinfo
A number of recent assessments of global risks convey a clear message: foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), disinformation, and misinformation have become a systemic threat to democracies around the world. This is no longer simply a matter of “fake news,” but a structural risk that undermines the conditions for economic growth, social well-being, and liberal institutions.
Another clear message emerging from these reports is the importance of a strong media ecosystem in service of the public interest, as a protective mechanism against information manipulation.
How information manipulation erodes global stability
Global Risks Report 2026 (see here) of the World Economic Forum ranks misinformation and disinformation as the second most serious global risk in the near term, slightly down from the first place they held in 2025 (see here). The report warns that misinformation, disinformation and other technological risks can deepen political, cultural or identity divisions within societies, damaging public discourse and weakening responses to crises. As a result, these developments “increase the risk of increasing digital mistrust and the dilution of ambitious socio-environmental decision-making, in a context of shifting short-term priorities and increasingly nationalist narratives.”
The United Nations Global Risk Report (see here) emphasizes that information disorder is a “risk multiplier” that exacerbates other global threats such as conflicts, pandemics, and climate change, sabotaging the shared evidence base necessary for collective decision-making and coordinated responses.
One last submission (see here) to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) has classified disinformation as a systemic risk to a wide range of human rights. It documents how FIMI campaigns are increasingly targeting marginalized communities, human rights defenders and independent media, in a context of shrinking civic space and declining trust in institutions.
Furthermore, the third threat report on FIMI (see here) by the European External Action Service (EEAS), published last March, noted that FIMI was targeting 90 different countries during 2024. While Ukraine (see here) was the main victim, FIMI campaigns also targeted France (see here), Germany (see here), Moldova (see here), sub-Saharan Africa (see here) and many other countries (see hereThis finding highlighted the global nature of this threat.
Taken together, these reports portray FIMI, disinformation, and misinformation not simply as communication challenges, but as integrated global risks that rival more traditional security and economic threats.
Reliable information and public interest media as protective mechanisms
In this context, strong media serving the public interest appear as essential protective mechanisms for both economic and democratic sustainability.
The “Economic Imperative” report (see here) argues that independent, fact-based journalism improves the functioning of markets, increases accountability, and supports inclusive growth, by ensuring that citizens and policymakers share a common evidence base.
The report also documents how strong media in the service of the public interest can increase the efficiency of governance, reduce corruption, and improve social outcomes, especially when they provide in-depth coverage of complex public policy areas, such as health or education.
Support for independent media, media literacy and transparency of digital platforms is essential for democratic sustainability. The integrity of information is a public good that should be actively protected through regulatory measures and investments, and not left to market forces.
In practice, this means building sustainable information ecosystems, where trusted media outlets have sustainable business models, audiences have the skills to navigate complex media environments, and platform governance rules discourage the amplification of deceptive content. Such measures are central to the stability of democratic institutions and economic performance.
This is a partial translation of an article published by EUvsDISINFO. For editorial reasons, only parts have been selected. The original article can be found here.