In an era where the spread of harmful content and disinformation increasingly shapes public debate and undermines trust in democratic institutions, strengthening resilience to online manipulation has become a shared priority across Europe.

Within the framework of the South Eastern European Dialogue on Internet Governance (SEEDIG), the Council of Europe Division for Cooperation on Freedom of Expression organised a high-level panel discussion on “Countering Harmful Content and Disinformation Online.” The event tool place on 10 October in Athens and brought together regulators, representatives of national authorities, and experts from Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albania to share national experiences and explore coordinated approaches to tackling harmful content and disinformation online while protecting freedom of expression.

Participants were introduced to key Council of Europe instruments that guide member states in addressing disinformation in line with human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. They were also informed about forthcoming Council of Europe initiatives designed to strengthen information integrity and new Guidelines being developed to help member states implement effective national media and information literacy strategies.

Through a constructive dialogue, participants examined both challenges and good practices in responding to disinformation and harmful online content. The discussion underlined the need to align national regulatory frameworks with Council of Europe and EU standards, particularly under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which introduces clear responsibilities for online platforms and practical tools such as risk assessments, mitigation measures, and crisis response mechanisms. While the DSA represents a major step forward, speakers noted that it is still too early to fully assess its impact, as external factors — including the broader geopolitical context — also play a role.

Panelists highlighted the importance of cooperation between national authorities and civil society organisations to ensure the effective implementation of the DSA and related instruments. They also emphasised the need to act proactively, empowering users through media and information literacy initiatives. In this regard was also presented Greece’s pilot programme “Cultivating Critical Readers”, developed by the General Secretariat of Communication and Media in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.

Discussions also touched upon the link between hate speech and discrimination, noting that while traditional hate speech cases are easier to address, identifying online perpetrators and assigning responsibility remains challenging. Strengthening multi-stakeholder cooperation, including alliances with journalists, students, and institutions was highlighted as key to countering online hate speech effectively.

The session concluded with a forward-looking discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for regulation. Participants agreed that “technology evolves faster than regulation,” stressing that the regulation of AI cannot fall under a single authority but requires inter-agency coordination, the setting of clear priorities, and the strengthening of institutional capacities.

The event reaffirmed that regional and European cooperation remain essential — particularly in ensuring accountability of platforms operating outside EU — and that a balanced, human-rights-based approach must guide all efforts to counter harmful content and disinformation online.

A more detailed report on the discussions will be published soon.