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EU Eyes New Antitrust Push to Curb Hybrid Threats on Big Tech Platforms

By  |  October 31, 2025

Online platforms already under the European Union’s strictest technology rules could soon face expanded obligations to detect and counter so-called “hybrid threats,” according to a proposal seen by Reuters and expected to be unveiled by the European Commission next month.

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    The initiative, part of the forthcoming European Democracy Shield, would require companies such as Google, Microsoft, Meta, TikTok, and X to strengthen their measures against coordinated disinformation and foreign interference. Per Reuters, the EU defines hybrid threats as tactics combining economic, technological, and information-based tools that fall short of open warfare but can destabilize democracies—such as disinformation campaigns or manipulative social media activity.

    The proposal builds on the Digital Services Act (DSA), landmark legislation that became applicable last year. Under the DSA, large online platforms are already compelled to address illegal and harmful content. According to Reuters, the new rules under the European Democracy Shield could significantly expand those antitrust-style oversight powers by requiring companies to respond not only to domestic risks but also to foreign information manipulation efforts.

    “The Commission will prepare a DSA crisis protocol for hybrid threats, to better detect, deter and respond to incident and crises which will be developed with online platforms, national authorities and relevant stakeholders,” the document states.

    Read more: Cross-Border Tech Deals Trigger Complex IP Ownership and Privacy Compliance Issues

    The European Commission’s move highlights growing concerns in Brussels about the ability of large digital intermediaries to influence political discourse across the 27-member bloc. Reuters reports that the initiative has been prompted in part by the proliferation of Russian misinformation and other attempts to manipulate electoral outcomes through social media platforms.

    In addition to the new detection protocols, the proposal urges companies that have signed the EU’s Code of Conduct on Disinformation—including Google, Microsoft, Meta, and TikTok—to examine emerging risks from deepfakes and other AI-generated media that could distort public debate. According to Reuters, firms would be expected to identify safeguards to protect upcoming elections from such synthetic manipulation.

    The proposal is expected to be officially announced by EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen on November 13, per Reuters, though the timeline and details remain subject to change. If adopted, the measure would mark a new phase in Europe’s ongoing efforts to rein in the market power and social influence of the world’s largest technology companies, combining digital regulation with elements of crisis management and national security oversight.

    Source: Reuters