The Role of Civil Society in Fighting Disinformation: Successes, Failures, and Future Directions in Romania in the EU Context, WOS:001673112600004

EUROPOLITY, vol. 19, no. 2, 2025 

“The Role of Civil Society in Fighting Disinformation: Successes, Failures, and Future Directions in Romania in the EU Context”

Authors

• CEUȘAN, Ilie Florin – PhD Candidate
  University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Târgu-Mureș, Romania

• COSTEA, Maria – PhD, Researcher
  Romanian Academy, “Gheorghe Șincai” Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities of Târgu-Mureș, Romania

• COSTEA, Simion – PhD, Professor
  “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Târgu-Mureș, Romania

Journal

EUROPOLITY. Continuity and Change in European Governance

Publication details

• Volume: 19

• Issue: 2

• Year: 2025

• Pages: 71-87

• Country of publication: Romania

Abstract

Disinformation has emerged as one of the most significant threats to democratic governance, public trust, and social cohesion in both Romania and the European Union. This article analyses the evolving role of civil society organizations, universities, and governmental institutions in countering disinformation, with a particular focus on Romania and comparative European practices. It highlights successful initiatives such as fact-checking platforms, academic media-literacy programs, and partnerships with EU-level bodies, while also identifying persistent shortcomings, including the absence of a coherent national strategy, limited regulatory enforcement, and weak cross-sector cooperation. Drawing on agenda-setting and framing theories, the study demonstrates how disinformation reshapes public priorities and distorts perceptions, and how civil society interventions can reframe narratives and restore factual integrity. Empirical evidence from European Digital Media Observatory reports and Eurobarometer surveys illustrates Romania’s vulnerability, especially during electoral cycles and crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on best practices from Finland and other EU member states, the article advances policy recommendations centred on media-literacy education, cognitive resilience, support for independent journalism, and enhanced EU–Romania cooperation. The findings confirm that only a multi-stakeholder and transnational approach can effectively strengthen societal resilience against disinformation.

Keywords

Civil society; disinformation; Eastern Europe; European Union; media literacy; regulatory framework

Language: English

indexed in Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Web of Science Core Collection, WoS Accession Number: WOS:001673112600004.