Comparative analysis of the regulatory framework of the Republic of Moldova and the European Union regarding the fight against disinformation

The main objective of the research was to conduct a comparative assessment of the regulatory framework of the Republic of Moldova and that of the European Union regarding the fight against disinformation, and to identify opportunities for improving the national regulatory framework. To achieve this objective, the main legislative acts of the European Union related to combating disinformation were evaluated, a review of the national legal framework was conducted, and a comparative assessment was made. The investigation led to the identification of vulnerabilities within the national framework, specifically: a narrower scope of application, mainly targeting media and audiovisual services; a less extensive enforcement mechanism; and the absence of tools to encourage commitments from advertising providers to prevent disinformation. Based on these findings, several directions were outlined to enhance the effectiveness of disinformation countermeasures, namely: expanding the scope of sanctions from the audiovisual sector to the entire digital environment; engaging a broader range of stakeholders from the business, information, education sectors, and civil society; and adopting the European Union's experience in implementing self-regulatory standards through the signing of the Code of Practice on Disinformation.