Social media and AI algorithms: ensuring the right to accurate information and the visibility of high-quality content across Europe, especially about Eastern and Central Europe

Background

AI algorithms and social media platforms significantly influence public discourse about Eastern Europe, often causing misinformation and biased content visibility that affect perceptions and European integration.

This information report highlights the need for amendments to the Digital Services Act to enhance platform accountability, promote media literacy, ensure algorithmic transparency, and foster collaboration between EU institutions and tech platforms to support high-quality, fact-based content and address language stereotypes amplified by algorithms.

Key points

In this information report the EESC:

  • underlines that social media platforms and AI algorithms decisively shape public debate and the information seen by Europeans;
  • emphasises that the information space in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is particularly vulnerable: disinformation is tailored to local languages and content, and takes advantage of the dominance of Russian-language content on the Internet due to algorithmic choices;
  • believes that, while instruments like the Digital Services Act, the AI Act, and the European Media Freedom Act aim to enhance transparency and accountability, enforcement is uneven and gaps remain. Linguistic and narrative biases – such as the continued use of the term ‘post-Soviet countries’ – further distort diverse identities and histories;
  • supports the development of frameworks ensuring visibility for high-quality, locally rooted content from Eastern Europe;
  • advocates stronger media literacy, algorithmic accountability, and cross-border cooperation to counter disinformation and uphold democratic values.

Additional Information

EESC section: External Relations (REX)

Opinion number: REX/601-EESC-2025

Opinion type: Information report

Rapporteur: Tatjana Babrauskienė (Workers - GR II/ Lithuania), co-rapporteur: Andris Gobiņš (Civil Society Organisations - GR III/Latvia)

Date of adoption by the section: 9 July 2025

Date of adoption in plenary: 17-18 September 2025

Result of the vote in plenary: 141 in favour/ 0 against/2 abstentions

Contact

Millie Tsoumani
Press Officer, Email: amalia.tsoumani@eesc.europa.eu

Daniele Vitali
Policy Officer, Email: Daniele.Vitali@eesc.europa.eu