Access to reliable information and open public debate on matters of public interest lie at the foundation of a democratic society. Disinformation and propaganda can distort public debate and manipulate public opinion, undermine democratic values and cause malfunctioning of, and erosion of trust in, democratic institutions. They create division in the society leading to hate and aggression and can be weaponized to become a driver of crisis, as observed during the Covid-19 pandemic and Russian aggression against Ukraine.

What is being done to address these challenges by intergovernmental organisations, governments, civil society, the media and social media companies, and how effective are these interventions?

Have efforts towards media literacy, human rights-compliant content moderation and support for quality journalism succeeded; how can standards and practice be improved?

What steps should be taken   at pan-European level to ensure access to reliable information and build citizen resilience against disinformation, while protecting the right to freedom of expression in all its manifestations, including ideas that offend, shock or disturb?

How can civil society,social media platforms and media organisations contribute to the future work of the Council of Europe in thisarea?