Tinker, Tailor, Twitter, Lie: Government Disinformation and Freedom of Expression in a Post-Truth Era

Abstract The spread of disinformation has received significant attention in recent years, yet little been paid to government disinformation, and whether governments may violate freedom expression not only how they regulate but also facilitate, sow it. This article analyses what extent Article 10 the ECHR is engaged by disinformation. It extends analysis from well-established violations expression—overt censorship withholding information—into novel forms interference ‘post-truth’ age: false claims ‘fake news’ levelled at press intentional lies about matters public importance. These latter categories warrant further attention, as can cause just much harm discourse debate intentionally injecting falsehoods censoring truth. A purposive approach needed protect means expression, ends—vibrant democratic meaningful debate.