Welcome back, Hungary.

This edition reaches your inbox just days after the remarkable events in Hungary — an extraordinary voter turnout and a historic victory for the opposition against Viktor Orbán’s authoritarian regime.

Beyond the symbols and the images, this victory matters deeply to our community fighting disinformation — for several reasons.

First, it is a message of hope. Disinformation ran full speed through the campaign — and even through election day itself. For years and years, public and big private media were captured by the regime. Foreign interference happened in plain sight. 

Timothy Snyder, in his books, describes what he calls the “politics of inevitability” — which, in this decade could be revisited as the feeling that disinformation, manipulation, and interference were destined to win forever. Orbán’s Hungary was the capital and the beacon of that world, especially through its highly organised attacks against European regulation, platform accountability, and a free civil society.

And despite all of this, the wind of change blew it all away, and fresh air is finally blowing along the banks of the Danube. This is proof that we should never accept any of it as normal. Democracy, accountability, and independent journalism can win. This shows we can break free from a certain sense of fatalism.

Second — and this came through clearly in Péter Magyar’s victory speech — this marks the beginning of the end of impunity. Joining the European Public Prosecutor’s Office to investigate fraud, documenting electoral abuses, pursuing them in court, and restoring an independent judiciary. All of this sends a clear signal: the era of impunity for those who fund and spread disinformation is coming to an end.

But it will not happen on its own. It will only happen if our community commits to exposing these practices — and refuses to let impunity stand.

Finally, a quick word for the counter-disinformation Hungarian community, that have relentlessly kept on investigating, documenting, and exposing all wrongdoings. Thank you for your courage and dedication. This task is never finished, and new efforts will have to be made, to keep everybody accountable for what they’ve done and what they promised.

Welcome back, Hungary. We have so much to learn from your victory, but we’re at your side to help. Good luck.

Our Webinars

UPCOMING – REGISTER NOW!

23 April. Case Study – Decoding Russian intelligence: What medals and insignia reveal

What can military badges and medals reveal about Russia’s information operations? In this webinar, Hervé Letoqueux (CheckFirst) presents findings from OSINT investigations showing how open-source images of Russian military insignia can help uncover hidden structures within the FSB’s 16th Centre and the GRU’s Information Operations Troops.

30 April. Look what you made me do: How FIMI actors weaponise pop culture

What can viral cultural moments reveal about Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI)? In this webinar, Rachele Gilman (Principal) and Zoé Fourel (Senior Analyst) from Cardigan Collective explore how high-visibility events, from major entertainment shows like Eurovision to viral online controversies, are increasingly used as strategic entry points for influence and narrative shaping. They present findings on how FIMI actors exploit these moments to inject geopolitical narratives into public discourse, highlighting coordinated engagement, meme-driven framing, and cross-platform amplification as part of a shared operational playbook.

19 May. Ethics in the fight against disinformation: from theory to practice

This webinar brings together experts and practitioners for an interactive session exploring the core ethical dilemmas at the heart of the fight against disinformation. The session will open with the presentation of our newly developed short course – Ethics in the Fight Against Disinformation: Practical Dilemmas for Media and Civic Actors – designed for journalists, educators, civic actors and AI practitioners, before diving into two expert presentations on real-world ethical challenges in the field.

28 May. David vs Goliath in the DSA era: Lessons from Bits of Freedom’s victory

Article 38 of the EU Digital Services Act could be described as a masterpiece of legal drafting – 57 words to say very large online platforms must provide a version of their service not based on profiling. Meta provided a sludgy, unusable option. In the absence of action from the European Commission, Dutch NGO Bits of Freedom took on the mantle of David, and took the Meta Goliath to court. And won. And then, in appeal, won again. What lessons were learnt? Can this success be replicated elsewhere? Are there pitfalls that need to be avoided? Join the conversation to hear first-hand insights from Rejo Zenger, Policy Advisor at Bits of Freedom.

4 June. Enforce on the DSA enforcers: how can Member States legally push the commission to act? 

The DSA creates a hybrid enforcement system: the European Commission has exclusive competence over very large online platforms and search engines (“VLOPs” and “VLOSEs”), while national Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs) oversee other intermediaries. This raises a structural tension and dependency: what legal options do EU Member States have if the Commission fails to fulfil its supervisory and enforcement role? Join this discussion with Legal Consultant & Governance Advisor Christine Allan de Lavenne from SIDE Law Office.

PAST – WATCH THE RECORDINGS!

How can civil society defend itself? The EDRN pilot story

This webinar with Inês Narciso and Tanner Wagner (CyberPeace Institute) explores insights from the European Democracy Resilience Network (EDRN) pilot, a joint initiative with EU DisinfoLab. It highlights how civil society organisations can be better supported against disinformation, doxing, impersonation, and other digital threats, and examines the tools, support mechanisms, and collaborative approaches needed to strengthen resilience.

AI-generated content and DSA enforcement: who is accountable?

This webinar with Marco Bassini (Tilburg University) explores how generative AI is reshaping content production and testing the foundations of the Digital Services Act. It examines whether AI systems that generate content can fall within the DSA’s scope, what this means for liability and risk governance, and how the framework interacts with the AI Act, including implications for enforcement and systemic risks such as disinformation.

🎥 Don’t miss out, watch the recordings and explore all our past webinars.

🧡 A huge thank you to all our speakers, partners, and participants for making every conversation sharper, deeper, and more impactful.

If your company or institution is interested in partnering with us and sponsoring our webinars, please reach out if you’d like to discuss how we can work together: info@disinfo.eu

Disinfo news & updates 

MEMBER STATE ACTIONS & CIVIL SOCIETY RESPONSES

Greece plans to ban social media access for under 15s. Greece has announced plans to prohibit children under the age of 15 from using social media platforms starting in 2027, joining a growing number of EU countries pursuing similar measures. The proposal includes age verification measures and forms part of broader calls for coordinated European Union action on protecting minors online.

X convicted by Brussels correctional court in platform-related case. A Brussels correctional court has issued a ruling against X in proceedings concerning the platform’s legal responsibilities under Belgian law. The decision adds to a growing body of national court actions in Europe examining intermediary liability and platform compliance with content governance obligations.

Belgian justice system struggles to tackle online fraud. Reporting highlights growing challenges faced by the Belgian justice system in investigating and prosecuting online scams. Limited resources, jurisdictional constraints, and the cross-border nature of digital fraud continue to hinder effective enforcement, underscoring structural weaknesses in addressing cyber-enabled crime.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation leaves X over platform concerns.The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has announced its departure from X, citing concerns over the platform’s direction and its implications for digital rights and public discourse. The decision reflects broader tensions between civil society organisations and major platforms regarding governance, moderation, and the online information environment.

PLATFORM GOVERNANCE & SYSTEMIC RISKS

Large-scale Telegram networks monetise non-consensual intimate content in Europe. Investigations have uncovered extensive Telegram-based networks operating across Italy and Spain that distribute and monetise non-consensual intimate images, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The findings highlight the persistence of abuse infrastructures on encrypted platforms and raise concerns about enforcement gaps and platform accountability.

Links on X may reduce engagement for news publishers. Analysis by Nieman Lab suggests that posts containing external links on X tend to receive significantly lower engagement compared to posts without links. The findings point to platform dynamics that may disadvantage publishers seeking to drive traffic to their own websites, raising questions about the sustainability of referral-based audience strategies.

Meta removes ads linked to social media addiction litigation. Axios reports that Meta has taken down advertisements connected to ongoing litigation over alleged harms related to social media addiction. The move follows scrutiny of platform responsibility and legal challenges, highlighting tensions between corporate policies, advertising practices, and accountability in cases concerning user wellbeing.

DISINFORMATION OPERATIONS & COORDINATED MANIPULATION 

Networks of inauthentic profiles amplify political content in Bulgaria. Factcheck.bg reports that coordinated networks of inauthentic accounts have been used to amplify and distribute content linked to the political party ITN across social media platforms. The findings point to organised amplification practices and raise broader concerns about coordinated inauthentic behaviour in national information environments.

French influencer contacted to push disinformation in Hungary. Louis Duclos, a geopolitical analyst based in France, revealed he was contacted on LinkedIn to publish content during Hungary Election Day. Based on the screenshots he shared on his X account, he was offered 450 € to post a pre-drafted message attacking Orbán’s opponent. 

AI-driven disinformation targets opposition figures in Hungary. Reporting highlights how actors linked to Viktor Orbán have used AI generated content, allegedly fabricated documents, and “evidence”, and coordinated online networks to target political opponents ahead of elections in Hungary. This included tactics such as staged leaks and manipulated materials designed to lend credibility to false claims. The case illustrates the growing use of synthetic media, deceptive evidence, and platform-based amplification in domestic political campaigns.

Iran’s online influence operations expand in scale and sophistication. An investigation by The New York Times examines how Iran has developed a coordinated digital influence apparatus, using networks of websites, social media accounts, and covert messaging strategies to shape narratives domestically and internationally. The report points to an increasingly structured and adaptive approach to information operations.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION & NARRATIVE INFLUENCE 

US directs embassies to coordinate counter-disinformation messaging using X. The United States State Department has instructed its embassies to coordinate efforts against what it describes as foreign hostility, including the use of X as part of broader counter-disinformation and public diplomacy activities. The approach reflects ongoing debates over the role of major platforms in state communication strategies and information operations.

Fossil fuel companies restrict climate-oriented ad targeting on X. An investigation by Global Witness reports that several fossil fuel companies have used advertising tools on X to restrict the visibility of their climate-related advertisements to specific audience segments. The findings raise concerns about transparency in digital advertising systems and the potential use of micro-targeting to shape exposure to environmental messaging.

US EPA Administrator promotes regulatory rollbacks at climate denial gathering. Bloomberg reveals that Lee Zeldin promoted environmental regulatory rollbacks during a climate denial conference in Washington, D.C. The event underscores the continued alignment between political actors and organised climate denialism, raising questions about the role of policy discourse in shaping public understanding of climate issues.

Fragmented realities and the erosion of shared information spaces. A new report by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre explores how digital platforms and the attention economy are reshaping public discourse, contributing to increasingly fragmented perceptions of reality. The study highlights how algorithmic systems amplify polarisation and mis- and disinformation, while calling for reforms to strengthen information integrity and democratic resilience.

Conspiracy narratives and the dynamics of “weaponised suspicion”. A report by the Council of the European Union examines how conspiracy theories are leveraged to cultivate distrust and polarisation within information environments. The analysis describes “weaponised suspicion” as a mechanism through which actors undermine institutional credibility, exploit uncertainty, and reinforce fragmented interpretations of reality.

AI DISINFO WATCH

EU backs nude app ban and delays to landmark AI rules. The European Parliament has supported banning nudify apps amid outrage over sexualised deepfakes, while delaying key AI Act rules on watermarking and high-risk systems. The dual approach highlights tensions between addressing immediate harms and maintaining progress on broader AI transparency and disinformation safeguards.

Wikipedia bans AI-generated articles. Wikipedia has prohibited the use of AI to write or rewrite articles, citing concerns over accuracy, verifiability, and the risk of misleading content. While limited uses for purposes such as translation and copyediting remain allowed, the move reflects growing efforts to curb unreliable AI-generated text to protect information integrity.

AI and Foreign Information Manipulation: Chinese and Russian approaches. A Hybrid CoE report examines how China and Russia are integrating AI into foreign information manipulation (FIMI), not as a replacement but as a force multiplier that increases scale, speed, and targeting precision. China leverages a strong domestic AI ecosystem to enable data-driven, highly personalised influence operations, including micro-targeting, synthetic media, and algorithmic amplification. Russia, with weaker AI capacities, relies on more accessible tools to scale existing tactics focused on volume, disruption, and narrative laundering.

Clickbait evolved into AI slop, here’s why it’s more dangerous. So-called “AI slop”, low-quality, mass-produced AI content, is rapidly spreading across social media, designed to maximise engagement, outrage, or ad revenue. Unlike traditional clickbait, this content can adapt to trends and user behaviour at scale, making it harder to detect and more effective at capturing attention. Its viral spread is fuelled by near-zero production costs and platform algorithms, raising concerns about declining information quality, user manipulation, and the broader impact on the online information ecosystem. Some initiatives have emerged to track and document these trends, with accounts such as Facebook AI Slop highlighting examples of harmful or misleading slop circulating online.

The AI lens of cognitive warfare: Why LLMs language bias is a security risk. AI chatbots can generate different versions of reality depending on the language used, raising growing security concerns. Research testing major models found that responses in Russian were significantly more likely to include propaganda narratives or omit factual information, while Western systems sometimes introduced “false balance” (by exposing different perspectives) on well-established facts. These patterns suggest that language-dependent outputs are not random errors but structural biases that can be exploited to shape perceptions at scale.

Brussels Corner

EU Regulatory sovereignty in the digital policy – not a binary choice, apparently.

The EU’s digital rulebook is not up for debate, according to the European Commission after sustained pressure from the United States. However, the Commission has confirmed that it has launched a formal “dialogue” with the United States on digital rules. Far from being a concession to the USA, the dialogue will address unspecified “misunderstandings” to reinforce “cooperation on digital technologies and markets”. Press reports, on the other hand, point to an alleged willingness of the Commission to give the USA an influence on (non-)enforcement of the rules, while leaving the rules themselves intact.

European Commission expands funding for independent fact-checking under European Democracy Shield. 

The European Commission has issued the €5 million in funding to support independent fact-checking organisations announced under the European Democracy Shield framework. The initiative aims to strengthen cross-border verification capacity, improve coordination between fact-checkers, and reinforce resilience against online disinformation in the EU information space.

Reading & resources

Prebunking interventions show mixed effectiveness in reducing climate misinformation susceptibility. A systematic review published on ScienceDirect assesses prebunking interventions designed to reduce susceptibility to climate misinformation, finding that effectiveness varies depending on intervention design, timing, and target audience. The review highlights implementation conditions as a key factor influencing overall impact and scalability.


China’s information campaigns targeting Japan and Taiwan examined in new report series. A series of reports provides a detailed analysis of China’s evolving information operations, focusing on campaigns directed at Japan and Taiwan. The research highlights a coordinated playbook combining narrative attacks rooted in historical and geopolitical tensions, the use of misogynistic framing, and strategic amplification across media channels. It further explores how these narratives are adapted to exploit existing grievances and shape public perception, while offering insight from a Taiwanese fact-checking perspective into disinformation surrounding “Taiwan contingency” scenarios. The series also documents the use of fabricated documents and dark-web “leaks” as tools of diplomatic sabotage and information manipulation.

Resources and trainings:

  • Prodigioso Volcán will host a paid online training “Bulos y crisis: estrategias contra la desinformación” (in Spanish) on 21-22 April, covering disinformation narratives, AI-driven manipulation, and strategies to respond to disinformation crises.
  • Institute for Information Law (IViR) will host a paid five-day summer course on European platform regulation in Amsterdam on 29 June-3 July, offering a deep dive into EU digital policy, including the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, with lectures from academics, policymakers, and practitioners.
  • Indicator has launched OSINT Navigator, a beta tool that helps investigators find relevant OSINT tools through natural language queries. Drawing on a curated dataset of nearly 7,500 tools from major OSINT toolkits, it suggests resources for tasks such as tracking crypto transactions or identifying website owners.
  • META CIB & Threat Dashboard is a free online tool that aggregates over 200 cases of coordinated inauthentic behaviour identified and removed by Meta since 2018 across more than 70 countries. It enables users to explore disinformation campaigns by country, timeframe, or actor, and to identify recurring tactics and patterns without consulting individual transparency reports.
  • Image Whisperer Fact-Check Database is a searchable online resource that compiles fact-checks and verification cases related to synthetic and manipulated imagery. The database is designed to help researchers and practitioners identify patterns in visual disinformation, explore existing debunks, and support analysis of AI-generated or altered media content.

The latest from EU DisinfoLab

We are pleased to share a new factsheet on the disinformation landscape in Spain, as part of our ongoing effort to map disinformation dynamics across European countries. 

This work highlights a highly event-driven disinformation landscape, where recurring narratives rapidly adapt to current events and are amplified by digital agitators, generative AI, and the interplay between domestic dynamics and foreign information manipulation. With this publication, we continue building a clearer picture of disinformation trends across EU Member States.

This week’s recommended read

This week, our director, Alexandre Alaphilippe, recommends reading the portrait of Szabolcs Panyi, published by Follow the Money.

As an investigative reporter, he is the one who revealed to the world the collusion between Russia and Orbán’s regime during the electoral campaign. The interview was conducted before the election – but it gives a powerful sense of the courage and dedication it takes to hold accountable those who abuse and break the law.

👀  Spotted: EU DisinfoLab 

Our Executive Director Alexandre Alaphilippe joined RFI’s weekly programme and podcast Les dessous de l’infox following the publication of the European External Action Service’s latest report on foreign information manipulation and interference. He discussed the report’s key findings, including the growing scale and sophistication of attacks in 2025 and the increasing role of artificial intelligence.

He was also quoted in a recent article by The Economist on how France has stepped up its response to foreign disinformation. The piece explores how the country has become a leading actor in detecting and exposing false narratives, including high profile cases targeting Emmanuel Macron, and highlights the growing scale and sophistication of such campaigns across Europe.

Community meetups. We regularly organise community meetups across Europe to connect researchers, practitioners, and policymakers working on disinformation. A chance for good conversations, shared ideas, and to put faces to names. Want to join one of the upcoming sessions? Just reply to this email, we’d love to hear from you!

Events & announcements  

  • Present-June: The Cyber for Good Media programme is running with the mission to protect and better equip journalists against interference and manipulation in the digital space, with a focus on OSINT and cybersecurity. 
  • 16–17 April: Global Forum: FIMI & Hybrid Threats (webinar) will bring together experts to discuss hybrid threats and the impact of FIMI on media and democratic processes.
  • 19–23 May: Antony and Cleopatra (Brussels, in-person) is the Brussels Shakespeare Society’s next production, set in the 2030s and exploring how disinformation and AI could serve as a road from populism to dictatorship – drawing on what historians consider one of the most successful disinformation campaigns in history.
  • 1–2 June: Net4Society Matchmaking Event for Horizon Europe Cluster 2 (Paris, in-person) will facilitate networking, pitching, and partnership-building for projects on culture, creativity, and inclusive societies.
  • 15–18 June: Disinformation Summer Institute 2026: A 4-day in-person institute organised in California, US, will bring together early-career researchers and senior experts for lectures, panels, and discussions on studying and countering disinformation.
  • 17–19 June: GlobalFact 2026 (Vilnius, in-person) is the annual summit of the global fact-checking community, bringing together professionals to share best practices and strengthen collaboration against misinformation and disinformation.
  • 18–20 June: Fake News Festival 2026 (Frankfurt, in-person) brings together researchers, practitioners, and the public to explore AI-driven disinformation through scientific talks and hands-on workshops, including sessions on fact-checking and AI-based verification co-organised with Climate+Tech.
  • 7–8 September: EDMO BELUX 2.0 final conference ”Countering Disinformation, Raising Democratic Resilience” will be organised in Brussels. 
  • 6–8 October: #Disinfo2026. EU DisinfoLab’s annual conference will happen in Vilnius, Lithuania. Save the date!
  • 15 April: Third International Conference on Information Manipulation and Foreign Interference (Buenos Aires, in-person) will bring together experts to discuss FIMI and its impact on democratic processes.
  • Other initiatives: 

🧡 ONE THING WE LOVED

This week, we welcomed the public release of OSINT Navigator, as reported by Indicator Media.

The platform is designed to support open source intelligence work by offering structured guidance and practical resources for navigating digital research processes, making investigative workflows more accessible and systematic for analysts and researchers.

Its release reflects the continued growth of tools that help strengthen open source investigative capacity and support more methodical approaches to online research.

Jobs


Did you find a job thanks to the listing in this newsletter? We’d love to know – please drop us a message!

SUBSCRIBE TO THIS NEWSLETTER !

Have something to share – an event, job opening, publication? Send your suggestions via the “get in touch” form below, and we’ll consider them for the next edition of Disinfo Update.