Impact of Misinformation on Elections in Liberal Democracies: Assessing the Role of Community-Based Fact-Checking and Digital Regulations

Misinformation has become a pervasive issue, particularly during elections, where it can undermine democratic processes and influence voter behavior. The goal of this research is to assess the impact of misinformation on elections in liberal democracies, with a focus on the role of community-based fact-checking and digital regulation through the Digital Services Act (DSA). To achieve this, claims and background truths used to debunk those claims will be collected from fact-checked articles and metadata published by platforms under DSA during the 2025 German federal election period. By applying computational methods, the effectiveness of community-based fact-checking will be analyzed to counter misinformation. On the other hand, examining how platforms moderate content under the DSA, especially during election periods, will help to assess the role of digital regulation in curbing misinformation. The project’s outcomes aim to provide insights into the effectiveness of community-based fact checking and content moderation strategies, offering recommendations for improving the digital information ecosystem.