Tactic
Official labels
A government officially brands a news outlet or a journalist as a source of disinformation or "fake news", or requires it to register as an agent of another country. Such labels often carry reporting duties and restrictions, and can cost the outlet its audience and advertisers.
The earliest incident in the record using this tactic is dated 28 September 1959.
The ladder for official labels: where this tactic has led, stage by stage
The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.
Incidents by country and year
Belarus, RSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 March 2022 | Belarus: Deutsche Welle and other outlets labeled 'extremist' | Pressure | Alexander Lukashenko | Sustained (9 March 2022) |
Cuba, RSF rank: not recorded
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 September 1959 | Cuba: Prime Minister Fidel Castro publicly criticizes Havana newspapers that questioned his government, September 1959 | Pressure | Fidel Castro | Sustained (11 May 1960) |
Egypt, RSF 2026 rank: 169th of 180
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 March 2019 | Egypt: media law used to fine and block news site al-Mashhad | Pressure | Abdel Fattah el-Sisi | Unknown (7 May 2019) |
Georgia, RSF 2026 rank: 135th of 180
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 May 2024 | Georgia 'foreign influence' law for media, 2024 | Pressure | Irakli Kobakhidze | Sustained |
Hungary, RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 December 2023 | Hungary: National Sovereignty Protection Act and Sovereignty Protection Office, December 2023 | Pressure | Viktor Orban | Reversed (30 June 2026) |
India, RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2024 | Bombay High Court strikes down India's government 'fact check unit' rule | Pressure | Narendra Modi | Reversed (20 September 2024) |
Nicaragua, RSF 2026 rank: 168th of 180
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 February 2023 | Nicaragua strips 94 political opponents, including journalists, of citizenship | Eliminate | Daniel Ortega | Sustained |
Pakistan, RSF 2026 rank: 153rd of 180
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 January 2025 | Pakistan amends cybercrime law to create new agency policing 'fake' online content | Punish | Shehbaz Sharif | Sustained |
Russia, RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 March 2019 | Russia: new laws penalize online "fake news" and "disrespecting authorities" | Pressure | Vladimir Putin | Sustained (7 March 2019) |
| 23 April 2021 | Russia: independent outlet Meduza designated a 'foreign agent' | Pressure | Vladimir Putin | Sustained (23 April 2021) |
| 4 August 2026 | Russia: asset freezes on exiled "foreign agents", Aug 2026 | Pressure | Vladimir Putin | Sustained (4 August 2026) |
United States, RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 January 2025 | FCC chair reopens 'news distortion' complaints against CBS and NBC | Pressure | Donald Trump | Ongoing |
Viet Nam, RSF rank: not recorded
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2013 | Vietnam: Decree 72 restricts blogs to personal information | Pressure | Nguyen Tan Dung | Sustained (1 September 2013) |