Research led by Dr Gabriela Borz, Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Strathclyde, has been cited as written evidence in a major new report by the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee examining how hostile actors are using disinformation to undermine democracy.
The report, Disinformation diplomacy: How malign actors are seeking to undermine democracy, identifies foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) as an “existential threat” to democratic societies and draws on evidence submitted by Dr Borz and collaborators.
Dr Borz’s evidence, co-authored with Dr Anna Longhini and Thomas Montgomerie, highlights the growing scale and sophistication of disinformation campaigns, particularly during elections, and the challenges facing governments in regulating digital political campaigning.
At the heart of the submission is Dr Borz’s DIGIEFFECT project, a €1.4 million Next Generation EU-funded programme, which examines the types of risks generated by digital political campaigns and how effectively European and national regulators, platforms and citizens address these threats (i.e. online misinformation, disinformation and malinformation, foreign interference in elections etc.).
Key findings informing Parliament
The research submitted to Parliament underscores several critical trends:
Disinformation as a systemic democratic risk
Survey evidence across 27 EU countries shows that citizens as well as political parties now rank disinformation as their top concern during elections.
Algorithmic amplification and foreign interference
Digital platforms can (un)intentionally magnify false narratives, giving unfair advantage to particular candidates or actors.
New actors and tactics
Disinformation is increasingly disseminated through influencers, coordinated online groups, and foreign-backed networks, blurring the line between domestic and external interference.
Regulatory gaps in the UK
While the UK has made progress—particularly with digital imprint requirements—current legislation does not sufficiently address:
- the accuracy of political claims
- financial transparency behind digital campaigning
- the role of foreign funding and influence
The evidence also draws on real-world cases, including the annulled 2024 Romanian presidential election, where suspected foreign-backed online campaigning played a decisive role.
Dr Borz mentions that:
“Disinformation is no longer a marginal issue—it is a structural challenge to democratic politics. Our research shows that while regulatory frameworks are evolving, they are not yet keeping pace with the speed and scale of digital campaigning and foreign interference.
What is particularly striking is the mismatch between policy ambition and platform behaviour. Many online platforms formally commit to regulation, but implementation remains uneven and often prioritises corporate concerns over democratic rights and freedoms.”
Policy relevance and impact
The Foreign Affairs Committee report calls for stronger coordination, greater transparency from social media companies, and enhanced UK capability to counter disinformation threats domestically and internationally.
Dr Borz’s work contributes directly to these debates by:
- Providing one of the most comprehensive mappings of EU disinformation regulation (2016–2024)
- Developing a novel framework to assess platform compliance with EU law
- Identifying actionable policy gaps in UK electoral regulation
- Raising awareness about the risks of digital political campaigns
- Justifying the need to increase digital political literacy by educating the public
About the research
The DIGIEFFECT project (2023–2026) investigates the risks posed by digital political campaigning and evaluates the effectiveness of regulatory responses across Europe. It brings together expertise from political science, public policy, and digital governance to inform policymakers, regulators, and international organisations. The risk‑governance approach adopted in the project provides a shared framework for citizens, corporations, organisations, and governments to understand the threats posed by digital campaigns and to identify solutions that address and prevent them in line with democratic principles.