The recurring controversy over the limits of freedom of expression is today inextricably linked to the phenomenon of disinformation and misinformation on social networks. We thus address this phenomenon in the first place, along with the strategies deployed in the last decade to fight it. The controversy is then analyzed in the context of the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the institutional response it has generated worldwide, with a main focus on the situation in the United States and the EU. Finally, a critical examination of this response follows, along with some facts and reflections regarding the current post-pandemic scenario.