Operating within the European Union's Propaganda Watchdog Office
The European Union is quietly waging a war on free speech, according to a new report published by think-tank MCC Brussels. Authored by Norman Lewis, the report, titled "Manufacturing Misinformation: the EU-funded propaganda war against free speech," exposes a covert campaign by the European Commission to control public discourse and restrict free speech across Europe.
The report details how the EU has allocated nearly €650 million of taxpayers' money to fund over 349 projects managed by hundreds of NGOs and universities, supposedly to combat "hate speech" and "disinformation." However, the report characterizes these measures as a top-down, authoritarian effort to silence dissenting voices by enforcing compliance with a curated "official" narrative controlled by the EU Commission.
According to the report, this funding, primarily from the Horizon research program, supports the creation of a vast "disinformation complex" or "Ministry of Truth" aimed at linguistic control, ideological conformity, and the suppression of dissenting views. The EU's efforts are not presented as neutral or purely protective, but rather a silent war over language, where free expression is tolerated only if it aligns with the EU-established framework.
The report argues that the Digital Services Act (DSA) could further escalate the EU's censorship agenda by broadening its regulatory powers over online speech and social media. Critics fear that the DSA could bolster the EU's capacity to censor content deemed "illegal" or presenting "systemic risks," though the terms remain intentionally vague.
The author warns that the EU's approach is creating a moral panic about misinformation to justify controlling political narratives and silencing opposition voices. This dangerous trend threatens freedom of expression in Europe at a scale surpassing many individual member states' restrictions.
Dr. Norman Lewis is a writer and visiting research fellow at MCC Brussels. Lewis has previously warned about the dangers of cancel culture and advertiser boycotts, highlighting the importance of the public's financial support for independent media.
- The report authored by Norman Lewis suggests that the Digital Services Act (DSA) could strengthen the European Union's censorship of online speech and social media, raising concerns about freedom of expression under the guise of combating misinformation and protecting political narratives.
- The European Commission's funding of over 349 projects aimed at combating "hate speech" and "disinformation" is described in the report as a covert effort to control public discourse and suppress dissenting voices, resembling a vast "disinformation complex" or "Ministry of Truth."
- In the report, Norman Lewis argues that the EU's approach to combating misinformation is creating a moral panic, potentially justifying the suppression of opposition voices and endangering the democracy and free speech principles central to European culture.
- The report linked to identity politics and cancel culture, as it raises concerns that the European Union's actions could lead to ideological conformity, linguistic control, and the suppression of dissenting views, strikingly similar to aspects often associated with those movements.
