Description
The regulation of content disseminated online by states, organisations and individuals serves as an effective example of de-engagement in EU-UK security relations. Both the EU and UK perceive communications such as disinformation, extremist media and algorithmically-generated content as presenting security threats. However, despite surface-level similarities in the regulation of this content being demonstrated by the EU and UK, this article will demonstrate that this is an area of increasing divergence, underscored by contrasting philosophies on what content to regulate, and how. It argues that where the EU is focusing on broader security threats to societies on a collective level, the UK is more concerned with threats to individuals, and while the EU is predominantly concerned with combating disinformation, the UK specifically excludes it from its regulatory approach. With this divergence taking place in the context of an increasingly politicised and contentious relationship, this de-emgagement could facilitate further mistrust and inability to manage security threats.
