Lithuanian parliament moves to criminalise disinformation and war propaganda

The Lithuanian parliament has begun considering legislative amendments that would introduce criminal liability for spreading disinformation, aggressive war propaganda, and the use of so-called “SIM farms,” LRT reports.

The proposed changes, presented by conservative lawmaker Daiva Ulbinaitė, define disinformation as “deliberately created, presented, disseminated, or distributed false or misleading information intended to deceive the public, influence elections, referendums, or harm national security, constitutional order, public order, or other significant public interests.”

Under the draft amendments to the Criminal Code, individuals found guilty of conducting information activities on behalf of a hostile state or publicly promoting aggressive war could face up to five years in prison. Administrative fines for spreading disinformation would range from €200 to €3,000.

The legislation also targets the use of automated “SIM farms”—devices capable of managing hundreds of SIM cards simultaneously—to spread disinformation. Ulbinaitė described these tools as widely used for fraud, distributing false messages, and conducting automated manipulation campaigns against the state. Unauthorised use of such equipment would carry fines of €1,000 to €3,000, with repeat offences punishable by up to €6,000.

Additional measures include expanding the powers of the Journalists’ Ethics Inspectorate to issue binding orders for platforms to remove dangerous content or restrict access. Social media and video platforms would also be legally required to remove or block access to information flagged by state institutions.

Ulbinaitė emphasised the necessity of these changes for national defence in the information space, stating: “While strengthening border security and increasing defence budgets to counter geopolitical threats, Kremlin provocations, and hybrid attacks, we lack even the most basic legal tools in the information war we have long been fighting.”

The initial vote saw support from 75 lawmakers, with seven opposed and 13 abstaining. The proposals will now be reviewed by the committees on Culture, National Security and Defence, and Legal Affairs, with further debate expected in the autumn session.

This week, the parliament also established a temporary working group on combating disinformation and strengthening national resilience in the information space, comprising 26 members. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture has launched an inter-institutional task force to develop a plan for countering disinformation and manipulation.