The EU's new censorship machine the 'Democracy Shield' will police speech

The European Union is launching the European Democracy Shield to regulate speech and combat disinformation. Ursula von der Leyen claims this initiative "protects democracy and civil society", but critics argue it limits freedom under the guise of battling so-called "misinformation."

The Shield promotes a Monitoring Centre to address "false content" and "disinformation." Furthermore, a "network of fact-checkers" funded by the EU will verify information. Critics suggest this system will stifle dissent and only perpetuate the EU's own narratives.

The initiative signifies a concerning trend toward authoritarianism within the EU, raising questions about who determines "truth" amid increasing propaganda.