“In the series of hearings on the assigned dossier regarding foreign interference, the need for an effective European-level response to the various hybrid forms of manipulation of public opinion is becoming increasingly clear — whether through the media, social platforms, or hacker attacks on businesses and public administration. It is also emerging that such interference is particularly evident in EU candidate countries, demonstrating how these influences are real weapons undermining the most fundamental processes of democratic systems.
Although attention is growing, awareness of hybrid threats is still low compared to their scale, especially considering that digital progress constantly amplifies their reach. Today — according to a recent Pew Research Center survey — 17% of American adults regularly get their news from TikTok, compared to 3% in 2020. Among the 18 to 29 age group, this figure rises to 39%, and there is no reason to think the situation in Europe is much different.
No less insidious than data exfiltration or manipulation is the danger posed by exposing our youth to social media, platforms that also heavily impact their cognitive abilities. And if we consider topics like the rise of artificial intelligence, defining precisely what constitutes sensitive information, as well as the role of AI, becomes fundamental. This is crucial because, at its core, it is a matter of compatibility between our free and democratic system and the technological and informational environment.”
This statement was made by Senator Giulio Terzi of Fratelli d’Italia, regarding the hearings in the 4th Commission with Beniamino Irdi, Senior Fellow at the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Atlantic Council, and Fabrizio Luciolli, President of the Italian Atlantic Committee, on the assigned dossier “Foreign interference in the democratic processes of EU member states and candidate countries.”