New Study Reveals How the EU Framed ‘Disinformation’ as a Security Threat

Groundbreaking research in International Affairs examines the political and democratic implications of the EU’s 2022 ban on Russia Today and Sputnik.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, August 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The European Union’s unprecedented ban on Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik marked a turning point in how Europe confronts disinformation. It was brought up twice to the European Court of Justice for its impact on freedom of expression and information. A new peer-reviewed article by Dr. Sophie L. Vériter, published in International Affairs (Oxford University Press), offers the first in-depth analysis of how the EU could adopt such a restrictive measure, unprecedented in European media regulation. The study shows how the EU collectively securitised disinformation, framing it as an existential security threat to adopt the prohibitive law as part of sanctions against Russia.

“This case shows how moments of crisis can reshape the rules of the game, allowing exceptional policies that might otherwise be unthinkable,” said Dr. Vériter. “It also raises urgent questions about the balance between security and democracy.”

Drawing on exclusive interviews with EU officials, the article reveals that the decision to block RT and Sputnik was reached through informal meetings referred to as “the confessionals” in EU circles, rather than standard legislative processes. This, the study argues, raises concerns about democratic legitimacy and accountability in information governance, especially given the EU’s foundational commitment to freedom of information.

The research details how EU institutions and member states acted together as a “collective securitising actor,” using the ban as a case study to demonstrate the dynamics of power in Brussels during crises. It also warns that the broad, politicisable nature of the term “disinformation” could be used to justify further restrictions on media content in the future.

For policymakers and scholars, the article offers a refined model of securitisation theory adapted to the EU’s multi-level governance system, illustrating the “recursive interactions” between institutions and member states that legitimise exceptional measures. It calls for an open public debate on how far liberal democracies should go in restricting media content to combat information warfare.

About the Author
Dr. Sophie L. Veriter is a researcher at Leiden University specialising in information challenges and their governance. Her work explores how political narratives shape European Union policies in this field, and their consequences for democracy. Previously, Sophie worked as a public diplomacy consultant for the EU. She is on the editorial board of The Hague Journal of Diplomacy and recently published in the Journal of Common Market Studies and International Affairs.

Sophie L Veriter, PhD
Sophie Pomme
hello@sophiepomme.com
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