Kristína Šefčíková, Anna Dohnalová, Prague Security Studies Institute / 27 Sep 2024

Problematic content such as disinformation is difficult to address in a legal space where such content is not defined. However, as this publication shows, the creators of this content generally tend to operate in the gray zone of law and ethical business, and therefore their reach and profit can be limited by the traditional legal and regulatory tools already available.

 

Previous research by the Prague Security Studies Institute (PSSI) has shown that disinformation can be a profitable business in the Czech Republic. This output builds on research into the financial background of the Czech disinformation landscape, with a focus on its legal aspects.

The legal status of disinformation actors determines their opportunities to monetise disinformation. Companies, civil society organizations and individuals can use various legal and illegal channels to profit from their trade in fear. This research will therefore focus on mapping the legal aspects of Czech disinformation actors in order to identify gaps in national and international laws and regulations that are exploited for harmful (profitable) activities. Finally, the output provides specific recommendations for limiting the income from the dissemination of problematic content.

The project was implemented in cooperation with Visegrad Insight/Res Publica Foundation and supported by the Czech-Polish Forum program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. You can find the results of the great work of our partners in Poland on Visegrad Insight’s website.

You can download the report in English or Czech below.