The effect of communication and disinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study analyses how governments, public health experts and other professionals communicated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of these communication strategies. It investigates COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation practices, and how these practices were addressed in the European Union by the Member States and the European Commission.

It draws up recommendations to improve responses in the future, including by analysing the role of the Code of Practice on disinformation ad the expected impact of the Digital Services Act.

This document was provided by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies at the request of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future.