Abstract

The European Union is taking actions to limit disinformation, such as that promoted by foreign powers, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Code of Practice on Disinformation, and the Digital Services Act (DSA). A survey conducted in Italy at the end of 2020 showed that Italians are aware of the risks of online data collection and consider political propaganda to be one of the least acceptable purposes. However, despite GDPR being considered an important new legislative tool, the survey participants felt it may not be sufficient to address citizens’ concerns about disinformation. Italians hope for direct action, particularly from online platforms, to combat fake news. However, this approach, substantially in line with that of the European Commission, could have unintended (and dangerous) consequences for freedom of opinion