Information integrity
This section explains how reliable, trustworthy information underpins democracy and stability. It shows why supporting media, regulation, and literacy is vital to protect information integrity.
What it means and why it matters
Information integrity refers to the accuracy, consistency and reliability of information, as well as the systems and processes through which it is created, distributed and received. In a modern media-ecosystem, weak information integrity undermines public debate, erodes trust in institutions, and compromises decision-making at all levels — from individual citizens up to governments.
Information integrity is deeply interwoven with media health and freedom: when the structures of independent journalism collapse, the informational “pipes and filters” of public life become distorted. In their publication 'Facts not Fakes', the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD) notes, “the accelerated spread of false or misleading information … creates confusion and exacerbates polarisation, distorts public-policy debates, and further deteriorates trust in government.”
Why strengthening information integrity is urgent now
Several structural trends threaten information integrity in Europe and beyond:
Digital platforms, generative AI and advanced tools have accelerated the spread of manipulated or superficially credible content, making the “volume, velocity and veracity” of information a strategic challenge.
When information environments are degraded — be it through echo-chambers, algorithmic bias, or deliberate disinformation campaigns — the consequences ripple into governance, public health, crisis response, and national resilience. For example, distorted information leads to mis-allocation of resources, public confusion in emergencies, and weakened institutional legitimacy.
Governments, civil society and industry now recognise that maintaining information integrity is a public good and a strategic policy priority — not a side issue.
How to support and sustain information integrity
Achieving robust information integrity requires coordinated action across the ecosystem — not just regulation of platforms or support for media alone. The OECD identifies three complementary policy dimensions: (i) transparency, accountability and plurality of information sources, (ii) societal resilience to disinformation, and (iii) institutional and governance frameworks that uphold the integrity of the information space.
Key policy levers for sustainably supporting information integrity include:
Safeguarding plural and trustworthy media outlets: Independent journalism and local media act as filters, watchdogs and translators of raw information into public knowledge.
Regulating and auditing digital platforms: Ensuring transparency in algorithms, advertising and content-moderation mechanisms — especially in crisis or high-risk situations.
Investing in measurement and research: Commissioning ecosystem mapping, resilience indices, exposure studies and tools to monitor and diagnose information integrity across contexts.
Strengthening public information resilience: Supporting media- and digital-literacy initiatives, trusted messengers, community-level intermediaries, and rapid-response communication playbooks for crisis settings.
Embedding cross-sector governance: Approaching information integrity as a whole-of-government and multi-stakeholder issue — involving communications, security, health, education and technology sectors.
Policy implications for the EU and Member States
For the European Union and member states, embedding information integrity into broader policy frameworks means:
Recognising information integrity as core infrastructure of democratic societies and markets, deserving sustained and strategic investment.
Adopting blended funding models that support media viability, platform accountability and public-information resilience together.
Ensuring regulatory frameworks (such as the Digital Services Act) are paired with strong enforcement, multidisciplinary research and independent oversight. (see briefing from the European Parliament)
Prioritising local and regional media ecosystems as part of the “information-infrastructure” of democratic societies — including support for underserved communities and language-minority regions.
💡 Key Takeaway
Information integrity is not simply a technical term — it is the foundation upon which trust, participation and effective decision-making rest. Supporting independent media, strengthening platform accountability, and investing in resilient information ecosystems are therefore not optional extras: they are essential enablers of democracy, security and economic stability in the 21st-century information environment.
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