Brussels has spent years crafting the most ambitious tech regulation on the planet - the Digital Services Act, the AI Act, rules on everything from content moderation to algorithmic transparency. Yet as Hungary heads into a pivotal election that could end Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule, the EU finds itself unable to stop a wave of AI-generated deepfakes flooding the campaign.
The problem is not a lack of legislation. It is a lack of enforcement capacity. And Hungary's election has become the test case for whether Brussels' regulatory ambitions translate into real-world power.
The Gap Between Rules and Reality
The Digital Services Act, which took full effect in 2024, requires platforms to police illegal content and disinformation. The AI Act, agreed last year, mandates labeling of AI-generated content. On paper, Brussels has the tools.
In practice, as Politico Europe reported, the Commission is "in a bind." Deepfake videos of opposition leader Peter Magyar spread across Hungarian social media platforms, some showing him saying things he never said, others manipulating his image to discredit him. The government-aligned media ecosystem amplifies them. The platforms claim they are working to remove violations. But the fakes keep coming.
The Commission can threaten fines under the DSA - up to 6% of global revenue for systematic violations. But that process takes months, often years. By the time any sanction lands, the election will be over and the damage done.
Orbán's Government Not Helping
There is another complication. Under the DSA, national regulators are supposed to work with Brussels to enforce the rules. But in Hungary, the national media regulator answers to Orbán. It has shown little interest in cracking down on pro-government disinformation.
