EDMO condemns any assault on journalists, after Croatian fact-check journalist and documentary filmmaker Melita Vrsaljko of Faktograf said she was physically attacked while documenting illegal anti-environmental practices as part of a wider, climate-related journalistic project. Stronger action is urgently needed to counter increasing violence against journalists and fact-checkers.

How can we assess mitigation measures by online platforms to address the spread of disinformation? Building on past proposals, our new report by the Integrity Institute proposes three key indicators: algorithmic amplification of disinformation, platform business model, and demonitization of disinformation.

The EDMO Task Force published its final report, presenting all outputs and outcomes of an intensive and rewarding community-wide effort. Its work was built on the efforts of over 50 independent fact-checking organizations, part of the EDMO fact-checking network, and the 14 EDMO hubs monitoring the disinformation at the local and national level.

Take a look at a selection of key numbers illustrating what our network has so far accomplished in the fields of fact-checking, media literacy, research, and policy analysis. As we look towards the next chapter of EDMO, these figures serve as an inspiring illustration of what this relatively young network can achieve, and why it is critically important that it continues its work.

On 8 July 2024, the EDMO Management Committee unanimously elected Paolo Cesarini as the new Chair of the EDMO Executive Board. Having served as EDMO Programme Director, Paolo Cesarini is fully familiar with all EDMO activities and strategic priorities. EDMO extends its sincere gratitude to outgoing Chair Miguel Poiares Maduro for his steadfast commitment as Chair of the Executive Board since its establishment.

The EDMO Task Force on 2024 European Parliament Elections invites you to subscribe to its daily alert system on disinformation related to the 2024 European Elections and how to counter it. Your free subscription will automatically end after the elections. Click more to subscribe.

Until now, AI-generated disinformation content is still a small minority of the total detected disinformation in the EU, according to the monthly reports of the EDMO fact-checking network, but some relevant cases circulated in the past few weeks and months and were debunked by fact-checking organizations. Considering four categories of content – AI-generated images, audio, video and text – and looking at recent precedents (many of them listed in this report of the EDMO Taskforce on EU Elections and in the EDMO monthly briefs), what can reasonably be expected for the upcoming EU elections?

Join the 2024 EDMO Annual Conference on 13 and 14 May in Brussels. The programme will focus on 2024 EU elections, media literacy, AI (as a challenge and as a solution), access to online platforms’ data, the Code of Practice on Disinformation and the DSA. The event will convene media and policy practitioners and experts, representatives from the private sector, policymakers, academics, regulators, journalists, and members of civil society. The 2024 edition is in-person only and seats are limited. Register now!

The highlights of fact-checking of the EDMO Hubs can be found in an interactive map updated on a monthly basis. In March, the Hubs choose their best fact-checking items on disinformation targeting a wide range of topics, such as the climate, vaccines and health, immigration or EU policies.

Media Literacy Matters, a three-day conference on digital and media literacy in practice, took place from 26 February to 1 March 2024 within the framework of the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council, organised by Mediawijs, the Flemish Department of Culture, Youth, and Media, CSEM, Media and Learning Association, Porticus Foundation, and UAntwerpen – Treatpie and in cooperation with EDMOeu. Several members of the EDMOeu team, representatives from the EDMO Hubs, and members of the EDMO Advisory Council all spoke in conference sessions, joining more than 400 attendees in discussions about the status and future of the media literacy in Europe.

EDMO Working Group on Media Literacy Standards and Best Practices is delighted to share its draft checklist on media literacy standards and best practices. The list has been developed by the Working Group with input from the EDMO Hubs and other practitioners and experts during a consultation session in December 2023. The Working Group is keen to seek feedback from a wide range of practitioners, researchers, public bodies and other experts. Share your thoughts by 17 April.

The March edition of EDMO’s Media Literacy Monthly Digest highlights a range of engaging and informative resources to boost your media literacy skills. From AI image detection challenges like NORDIS-Faktabaari’s “AI-To: the photo challenge game” to online game series on misinformation by IDMO and critical thinking exercises with Slovakia’s “Factology Checker,” there’s a game for everyone. Educators and teachers can strengthen their knowledge with BENEDMO’s curated list of Dutch-language materials and HDMO’s accredited online training “InfoGrund in the online world,” while families can spark media conversations with the French podcast series “Médialogues en famille.” With this diverse toolkit, EDMO empowers everyone to become a more informed and critical media consumer.

New BELUX investigation: in February 2024, CitizenLab unveiled an information operation named “PAPERWALL”. This Chinese-originated influence operation has built a network of 123 dummy media outlets worldwide, with a strong presence in Europe. The exposed assets included a Belgian and a Luxembourg website.

New BECID investigation: LGBT+ issues are one of the most popular and persistent topics of disinformation. Most narratives about the traditional family, which supposedly is under attack, are also relevant in the Baltics. In Latvia, this time it resurfaced due to two legislative initiatives. Latvia was one of the last EU countries to adopt any sort of framework for civil partnership.

Have a look at the open calls of EMIF for Media and Information Literacy, research, and investigations on disinformation. Deadline 29 April 2024.

In February 2024, disinformation about farmers’ protests expands, boosting anti EU feelings and being exploited by Russian propaganda.

The Mediterranean Digital Media Observatory (MedDMO) Media Plurality Report is an annual publication that aims to present and assess the plurality and diversity of the news media ecosystem in the three countries covered: Cyprus, Greece and Malta. The report is the outcome of a comprehensive review, data collection, and analysis of resources focused on the plurality and diversity of the three different news media ecosystems. It is based on the annual Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM), International Press Institute, European Centre for Press, Media and Freedom and national/local reports, incorporating advice and suggestions from community members as well as data from various valuable sources and scientific publications.

A repository of all the fact-checking articles published by EDMO is now available. The table organizes the fact-checking content from the websites of the 14 EDMO national and regional hubs, and EDMO.eu itself, produced for EDMO by individual organizations, groups of organizations and/or by the EDMO fact-checking network, that counts over forty European fact-checking organizations and covers all the EU Member States, plus Norway.

EDMO has recently published new investigations on Russian disinformation in Africa, on disinformation techniques against migrants from Ukraine and the Global South, and on how misinformation and far-right groups sparked a riot in Dublin in November after the stabbing of three children at a school.

EDMO is organising a session on "Science vs. disinformation: recognizing, addressing and tackling fake news to foster science credibility and public awareness" within the European Geosciences Union General Assembly, taking place in Vienna from 14-19 April 2024. Submit your abstract by 10 January 2024.