The European Union’s Code of Practice on Disinformation became legally binding on 1 July, after being folded into the Digital Services Act. Major online platforms such as Google and X must now demonstrate they are mitigating “systemic risks” linked to false or misleading content or face audits and potentially hefty fines. Public opinion in the bloc appears to support tougher enforcement. A YouGov poll of more than 6,000 adults in France, Germany and Spain found 63% of French respondents, 59% of Germans and 49% of Spaniards consider Brussels’ application of digital rules too lax. Roughly half of those surveyed—50% in France, 48% in Germany and 55% in Spain—also believe Big Tech companies wield more power than the EU itself. The findings add political momentum to the EU’s broader regulatory push, which includes the Digital Markets Act, aimed at curbing the market dominance of large technology firms. Brussels has dismissed U.S. criticism that the new rules act as non-tariff trade barriers, insisting they are necessary to safeguard competition and curb the spread of online disinformation.