13/02/2025
Written by Mariana Berbec Rostas, human rights lawyer with Araminta Advisers in Berlin.
Donald Trump’s recent election win and Meta’s decision to abandon fact-checking in the name of “free speech” are alarming signs for us in Europe. These events reflect a broader global shift toward authoritarianism, a trend increasingly driven by social media. Platforms that once promised to connect people now accelerate misinformation, erode trust in institutions, and fuel political polarization.
The Role of Social Media in Turbocharging Mistrust
For over a decade, public confidence in governments, media, and scientific institutions has been in decline 1 As one example, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) conducted a survey across 30 member countries in 2023, finding that only 39% of respondents expressed trust in their national governments. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-survey-on-drivers-of-trust-in-public-institutions-2024-results_9a20554b-en . Social media didn’t start this erosion, but it has supercharged it. Digital platforms prioritize engagement—often at the expense of accuracy—by pushing content designed to provoke strong emotional reactions. Algorithms create echo chambers where users are repeatedly exposed to views that reinforce their existing biases. Once trapped in these bubbles, people become more susceptible to misinformation, conspiracy theories, and political manipulation. The result? A population less inclined to critically evaluate information and more likely to distrust democratic institutions or unbiased information based on scientific consensus.
Adding to the problem is the secrecy surrounding these algorithms. European citizens have little insight into how their online behavior is tracked, monetized, and used to shape their news feeds. The rise of artificial intelligence-AI in content moderation further complicates matters, as AI can inadvertently reinforce biases and spread false narratives. Traditional journalism, meanwhile, struggles to compete with the speed and reach of social platforms. In many countries, independent media outlets are losing ground as primary sources of information and with the recent freeze of USAID funding globally, these outlets are at a real risk of closure.
Regulatory Challenges and the Need for Stronger EU level Action
The European Union has taken steps to curb Big Tech’s influence through legislation like the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the AI Act. The DSA pushes for greater transparency in content moderation, while the AI Act seeks to regulate the ethical use of artificial intelligence. However, enforcement remains a major obstacle. If compliance is left up to tech giants themselves, little will change. Without real penalties for non-compliance, these companies have no reason to alter their ads-driven business models.
Europe has significant economic leverage. We are collectively a half a billion market with more stability than elsewhere. European policymakers should use market access as a bargaining chip to push Big Tech toward greater accountability. With tensions rising between the EU and the US over tariffs, the European Commission has hinted that tech giants could bear the brunt of any retaliatory measures. This is an opportunity for Europe to assert digital sovereignty—by investing in its own digital infrastructure and enforcing stricter regulations on major platforms.
The Bigger Picture: Human Rights and Democracy at Stake
The consequences of misinformation go beyond politics. The erosion of trust in science has already fueled vaccine hesitancy and climate denial, putting public health and environmental efforts at risk. Erosion of trust in institutions leads to people taking charge of their own grievances – civil unrest. Authoritarian governments and foreign actors exploit these vulnerabilities, using digital platforms to spread propaganda and weaken democratic systems.
A Call to Action
To rebuild trust, the EU must act decisively. Governments should provide financial support for independent journalism and public media while enforcing regulations that hold digital platforms accountable. Failure to act will deepen the democratic crisis, with long-term consequences for Europe’s stability and human rights. The time to respond is now.
At Araminta, we study how technology-driven disinformation affects human rights. Tackling this crisis requires collaboration across disciplines—political science, law, psychology, and data science—to develop policies that strengthen democratic resilience.