ABSTRACT The United Kingdom is currently examining far-reaching regulatory proposals designed to address the online transmission of harmful content, including disinformation. Of particular interest, therefore, is French Law no. 2018–1202 on the ‘fight against the manipulation of information’. The French Law establishes a fast-track civil procedure to tackle the transmission of false information prior to key elections and referenda; addresses foreign state-funded broadcast propaganda; and seeks to enhance transparency regarding the financing and distribution of online content. Restrictions on the transmission of information, particularly in the run-up to elections, are inherently suspect and the Conseil constitutionnel carefully reviewed the French proposals to ensure that any constraints on freedom of expression were both justified and necessary. French Law 2018–1202 thus offers an example of a rather ‘muscular’ form of intervention in the election field, but one which seeks to preserve democratic legitimacy without undermining the individual freedoms on which it rests.

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假新闻，法国法律和民主合法性：英国的教训？

摘要英国目前正在研究影响深远的法规提案，旨在解决包括虚假信息在内的有害内容的在线传输。因此，特别令人感兴趣的是法国第1号法律。关于“反对操纵信息的斗争”的2018–1202年。法国法律建立了快速的民事程序，以解决在关键选举和全民公决之前传播虚假信息的问题；解决外国政府资助的广播宣传；并寻求提高有关在线内容的融资和分发的透明度。固有地怀疑对信息传递的限制，特别是在选举前，因此，议会宪法委员会仔细审查了法国的提议，以确保对表达自由的任何限制都是合理和必要的。