🧵On Friday, EU hailed its Media Freedom Act as a "win for press freedom & democracy." But hidden in the fine print: gov’t can spy on, censor, & arrest journalists if “public interest” calls for it—an undefined, shifting term. This law builds a media legal cage, not a free press.
On Friday, the new European Media Freedom Act went into effect. Ursula von der Leyen hailed it as a shield for journalists & a key pillar of democracy—a bright European answer to rising authoritarianism. But the law’s true impact goes far beyond these promises.
Read the fine print: The EMFA says journalists won’t be forced to reveal sources, spied on, or arrested—unless “Union or national law” allows it, justified by an “overriding public interest.” Translation: you’re free to report until the government decides otherwise.
The EMFA permits “intrusive surveillance software” on journalists for crimes with 3+ years prison sentences. This includes terrorism, human trafficking—and vague terms like “racism and xenophobia” that can be stretched to criminalize political speech.
The EMFA requires registries of media owners. It sets up an EU-wide board to combat “polarizing content” & “disinformation.” In other words, those defining who is “trusted media” will have the power to regulate, surveil, & , when it sees fit, silence those it deems untrustworthy.
This isn’t a gentle drift but a legal framework for controlled speech—celebrated as democratic progress. The EU rewards obedient media and punishes dissenters like Hungary, while praising compliant state broadcasters.
As the EU tightens control over digital speech with laws like the Media Freedom Act, the UN is expanding its role globally. At the 20th Internet Governance Forum, the UN pushed frameworks to set international rules for online content—framed as fighting “disinformation”
Beyond policy, UN peacekeepers deploy digital teams to "monitor & counter" “harmful narratives” in conflict zones. UN programs also train journalists and influencers to promote sanctioned narratives, positioning the UN as the digital age’s truth arbiter.
The EU & UN are building a top-down info regime that monopolizes “truth,” punishing dissent—authoritarianism masked. The EU’s Media Freedom Act empowers censorship and narrative control. This isn’t a drift; it’s a sprint toward totalitarianism
Full Post: globaldisconnect.substack.com/p/the-eu-isnt-…
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