IBERIFIER Reports – Legal and Political Aspects of Disinformation in Portugal and Spain

Abstract

In Portugal and Spain, disinformation is a severe concern for social and cultural reasons. Furthermore, it is a significant concern for politicians and policymakers (Wardle & Derakhshan, 2017; Lanoszka, 2019; Saurwein & Spencer-Smith, 2020; Tenove, 2020; Correyero-Ruiz & Baladrón-Pazos, 2022). According to McKay & Tenove (2021), disinformation can undermine trust in democratic institutions and influence election outcomes, harming the reputation of individuals or institutions (European Commission, 2021; Department of National Security of the Spanish Government, 2022). In Portugal, the Government established a task force to combat disinformation, promoted media literacy, and launched campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of disinformation. Similarly, in Spain, the Government established a Strategic Communication Office to coordinate efforts to combat disinformation and launched campaigns to promote media literacy.