Democratic Reflexes (in the EU, Spain and Türkiye): How Defensive and Militant Logics Shape Anti-Disinformation Policies

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21142/DES-1704-2025-%25p

Keywords:

disinformation, legal regulation, freedom of expression, militant democracy, defensive democracy, European Union, Spain, Turkey

Abstract

This study comparatively analyzes the legal regulations regarding the fight against disinformation in the European Union, Spain, and Türkiye within the framework of militant and defensive democracy theories. It emphasizes that the legal approaches of each entity are shaped not only by normative preferences but also by their understandings of freedom of expression and strategies for protecting democratic institutions. The European Union and Spain consider disinformation as a systemic threat and follow a defensive democracy model based on preventive and proportionate measures. In contrast, Türkiye defines disinformation as an individual-based criminal offense and adopts a punitive, content-focused regulatory approach, which aligns more closely with the militant democracy model. The study demonstrates how different political and legal traditions shape approaches to combating disinformation and discusses, on a theoretical level, the balance between freedom of expression and public order.

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Author Biographies

  • Merve Ergüney, Samsun Üniversitesi. Samsun, Türkiye

    Merve Ergüney is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Design and
    Management at Samsun University. Her research focuses on media literacy, communication
    law, and European Union media policies. She is currently conducting postdoctoral research at
    the Faculty of Communication, University of Navarra.

  • Charo Sádaba, Universidad de Navarra. Pamplona, Spain

    Charo Sádaba is Full Professor at the School of Communication at the University of Navarra, Spain. She is part of the Iberifier research team, the Iberian Digital Media Observatory, co-funded by the European Commission. She has worked on media literacy and digital competence during the last years. 

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Published

2025-12-22

How to Cite

Democratic Reflexes (in the EU, Spain and Türkiye): How Defensive and Militant Logics Shape Anti-Disinformation Policies. (2025). Desde El Sur, 17(4), e0082. https://doi.org/10.21142/DES-1704-2025-%p

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