EU DisinfoLab 2024 Annual Conference

9-10 October, Riga, Latvia

For two days, the conference explored the pressing issues of disinformation such as the impact of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) on elections, the new paradigms of generative AI, cybersecurity, and the role of communities and partnerships. We also discussed global perspectives, and the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. We were happy to have on board many esteemed speakers, including Nighat Dad, Imran Ahmed, Marie-Doha Besancenot, and Paula Gori, and representatives from Meta, the World Health Organization (WHO), Graphika, EU Commission, and Stanford University, among many others.

Discover below the #Disinfo2024 programme that unfolded its content in three parallel tracks. You can download a summarised version of the programme as PDF here.

Day 0 - 8 October 2024

19:00

Informal gathering

Get ready to dive into the conference spirit! Join us at the Skyline bar of our venue (Radisson Blu Latvija Conference & Spa Hotel) for a casual pre-conference gathering to connect with fellow attendees and make new connections.

Day 1 - 9 October 2024

Plenary

9:00

Opening

With Diana Wallis (EU DisinfoLab) and Baiba Braže (Minister of Foreign foreign Affairs of Latvia)

9:30

Interview

Silencing voices: the ultimate target of propaganda

with Hamza Al-Kateab (Doctor & Activist, Action For Sama), interviewed by Liz Wahl

About this session

Journalists, whistle-blowers, activists but also doctors, artists, humanitarian workers… Often, the first targets of disinformation are the ones engaged to take care of the most vulnerable populations because of their deep commitment to truth and justice. This is why we wanted Hamza Al-Kateab, the protagnists of the awarded documentary For Sama to share insights from his own experience on how disinformation campaigns hinder humanitarian efforts and obstruct justice.

Speakers

bio

Dr Hamza al-Kateab is a Syrian doctor, human rights activist and public health advocate. From 2012 to December 2016, Hamza delivered frontline medical care to thousands of people and he was one of the last remaining doctors in Eastern Aleppo as manager of Al-Quds Hospital. Hamza now dedicates his time to continued advocacy efforts around ending the targeting of hospitals in Syria and beyond, and he is the Co-Founder of Action For Sama alongside Waad. He’s currently undertaking a PhD at King’s College London, investigating medical evacuations for civilians in siege with the aim of identifying best practices to inform policy.

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Liz Wahl is an American journalist focusing on disinformation and extremism. She has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, Bloomberg, international news outlets and documentaries, and reported from Ukraine for Scripps News in 2017. She made headlines globally in 2014 following her on-air resignation from RT America, publicly denouncing its distorted coverage of the war on Ukraine and Russian intervention in Crimea. Wahl has spoken internationally about modern propaganda and media literacy.

10:15 Coffee break

Track 1

11:00

Panel Discussion

Election year: a live stress test for democracy against FIMI

Chaired by Uldis Elksnitis (EEAS) with Paula Gori (EDMO), Benjamin Shultz (The America Sunlight Project), & Ben Graham Jones

About this session

This session will unfold the disinformation observed during the last election cycles including Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI). The discussion will expand to consider the measures being taken, the successes and challenges remaining, a few weeks before crucial US elections.

Speakers

bio

Uldis Elksnitis is a Latvian diplomat currently tackling foreign information manipulation and interference including disinformation as a seconded national expert on strategic communications at the European External Actions Service. Before joining the EEAS Information Integrity and countering FIMI team, Uldis worked for the Latvian Delegation to NATO on a range of security policy issues focusing on emerging security challenges, the rise of China, new technologies and strategic communications.

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Paula Gori is the Secretary-General and Coordinator of EDMO base at the School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute , where she is a member of the management team. She has more than 10 years of experience in electronic communications and media regulation. Prior to EDMO she was the Coordinator of the Florence School of Regulation – Communications and Media, which offers training, policy and research activities on electronic communications regulation and competition and she collaborated with the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom, which she coordinated during the initial set-up phase back in 2012. She was for several years the Scientific Coordinator of the Annual Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics and she is one of the authors of the report for the European Commission on European Union competences in respect of media pluralism and media freedom. Paula has a legal background and is a qualified civil mediator.

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Benjamin Shultz is a Researcher at the American Sunlight Project, a nonprofit based in Washington, DC focused on countering disinformation and increasing the cost of lies that undermine democracy. Ben maintains an affiliation as an Artificial Intelligence Expert with the Council of Europe International Cooperation Group on Drugs and Addiction (Pompidou Group) in Strasbourg, France, where he formerly served as a trainee. Ben previously worked with Deloitte as a lead analyst on the firm’s Foreign Malign Influence Team, after serving as a Disinformation Analyst with DebunkEU, a media literacy organization based in Vilnius, Lithuania. He holds an MA in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship at Syracuse University, as well as a BA in Political Science from Sonoma State University.

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Ben Graham Jones is a specialist in emerging threats to election integrity. He serves as a consultant to organizations in the elections field and an Advisor to the Westminster Foundation for Democracy. He has conducted more than 1000 interviews during elections, served on tens of observation and assessment missions, and advised several heads of Government. Ben holds degrees from the University of Cambridge and King’s College London’s Department of War Studies, and is a Churchill Fellow and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs.

Track 2

11:00

Presentations Session

Cybersecurity and Information operation: converging interests

Chaired by Francesca Bosco (CyberPeace Institute) with Daniel Kapellman (Mandiant), Hervé Letoqueux (Viginum), & Max Glicker (Microsoft)

About this session

Many stakeholders in this field observe convergence between Information operations and cybersecurity operations. One good example is the growth of hacktivist movements at the cross-border between these two fields. This session will also look at how a cybersecurity framework can help better monitor these operations.

Speakers

bio

Francesca has an International Law and Human Rights background with 15+ years’ experience in working for international organizations (UN and WEF) on action-oriented research, capacity building, technical assistance in human rights, justice, peace and security. She has developed her expertise on countering cybercrime (from hackers profiling to protection of critical infrastructure), misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, crime-tech convergence and misuse of technology, focusing on opportunities, systemic risks and threats created by emerging technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence). She has expertise in leading programs to foster digital resilience, cyber capacity building, diversity and inclusion initiatives. She has been working on securing digital transformation of contextually vulnerable and underserved organizations, in developing countries and in fragile contexts, to foster the achievement of the SDGs. At the Institute, she is leading the strategic engagement in programs and initiatives leveraging multistakeholder cooperation with civil society, academia, corporates, philanthropy and public institutions, to reduce the harms from cyberattacks and and to promote sustainable cyberpeace.

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Information Operations Team Lead and subject matter expert for cyber physical threats in Google Mandiant. He also coordinates the development of solutions to collect and analyze threat intelligence data. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences. As a former Fulbright scholar from Mexico, he holds a master’s degree from the University of Washington specialized in Information Security and Risk Management. In 2017, he was awarded first place at Kaspersky Academy Talent Lab’s competition for designing an application to address security beyond anti-virus.

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Hervé Letoqueux is a former french judicial customs officer. After three years as a special assistant on digital forensic an OSINT topics for the antiterrorists investigative judges in Paris after the Paris attacks. He joined the french national CERT (ANSSI) for three years to create an OSINT team in the field of Cyber Threat Intelligence. He now works as head of the operations division at VIGINUM, the french agency in charge of tackling foreign digital interferences at the SGDSN. The operation division includes a state-of-art operational datalab (5 datascientists), daily dealing with AI.

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Max Glicker is a Russia Team Lead who focuses on the activities of the Russian intelligence services, oligarchs and the convergence of Russian hackers and influence networks around the world. Max started working on influence research in 2020 focusing on countering threats from Russia, Iran, and China in the 2020 US Election. Max has a background in geospatial science and prior to Microsoft Max worked as a systems engineer focused on cybersecurity in critical infrastructure.

Track 3

11:00

Presentations Session

Biases, polarisation, and psychology: human beings as part of the problem and the solution

Chaired by Lea Frühwirth (CeMAS) with Robin Blom (Ball State University) and Alexa Hassan (Moonshot)

About this session

This session delves into how polarisation, cognitive biases, and psychology influence public discourse and the spread of disinformation. Considerations on cognitive biases, influence techniques, and trust cycles will emerge from compelling case studies, introducing tools to better reach when our minds are confronted with false or inaccurate information.

Speakers

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Lea Frühwirth is a senior researcher at CeMAS and a psychologist. She focuses on the impact of digital discourse on society and politics, especially on mechanisms of manipulative content. As a senior researcher at CeMAS, she focuses on disinformation, propaganda and conspiracy ideology.

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Robin Blom is a Professor of Journalism at Ball State University in Indiana, USA. He is also an affiliate professor in the Honors College, for which he teaches classes about eyewitness misidentification and social injustice, as well as pseudoscience and conspiracy theories. His research focuses on the role of eyewitness testimony in journalism, as well as expectancy violations in media bias perceptions. Blom is the co-editor of Teacher Race: Struggles, Strategies, and Scholarship for the Mass Communication Classroom. He was a newspaper reporter in The Netherlands before entering academia. Blom has earned degrees from Hogeschool van Utrecht (B.A., journalism), Point Park University (M.A., journalism and mass communication), and Michigan State University (Ph.D., media and information studies).

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Alexa is a project manager at Moonshot, specialising in designing and delivering gamified interventions to counter disinformation. Her current focus is on disinformation in Southeast Asia, where she leads prebunking campaigns, adapts and deploys the award-winning Gali Fakta game, and conducts research on state-sponsored disinformation and propaganda.

12:00 Lunch break

12:30 Lunch session - Moldova: Understanding FIMI Dynamics on the EU Frontier -Track 3 - (Sponsored by Gerulata Technologies)

With Moldova’s EU accession referendum just weeks away, the nation’s multilingual landscape and fragmented political environment present a unique case study. In this talk, we will employ advanced technological methods to examine how Russia influences the Moldovan information space. With Michal Trnka from Gerulata Technologies.

12:50 Lunch session - Beyond the AI Illusion: New Frontiers in Fact-Checking Visual Content - Track 3 - (Sponsored by E-Group)

Visual contents (photos and videos) are often used to support false information of news, conspiracy theories or a hoax. Analysis of these photos and videos is necessary to decide whether the stated facts are really supported or not. However, this fact-check analysis has become increasingly difficult in the last couple of years due to the rapid development of generative AI. So, now it seems that there might be a need for a paradigm shift in fact-checking methods of photos and videos. With Aron Szabo from E – Group.

Track 1

13:15

Presentations Session

Artificial intelligence, artificial information? A new acceleration of the (dis)information cycle

Chaired by Raquel Miguel Serrano (EU DisinfoLab) with Matyas Bohacek (Stanford University), Christo Buschek (Der SPIEGEL / Paper Trail Media) & Cristina Lopez G (Graphika)

About this session

From AI-generated news channel to the investigation of model biases, AI is cooked at all sauces. This session convenes experts to explore the complex threats that artificial intelligence (AI) – and generative AI – present to news availability and integrity, public access to information and how online communities are getting together to abuse the safeguards implemented.

Speakers

bio

Raquel Miguel Serrano is a senior researcher at EU DisinfoLab. She has a background in journalism and spent most of her professional career working for the German press agency DPA until 2019, when she shifted her focus to disinformation. Raquel received a Master’s degree in Cyber Intelligence, and began working with the EU DisinfoLab. She is the author of multiple articles, mainly focused on mis- and disinformation circulating in Spain and Germany, but also on more comprehensive topics such as the impact risk of online disinformation or pre-bunking as a tool to counter information disorders. Recently, she has been working in other areas, such as FIMI or the challenges posed by generative IA.

Additionally, Buschek is a Knowing Machines fellow at the Engelbert Center for Policy and Law at New York University, where he is involved in a research project that examines the histories, practices, and politics of training machine learning systems to interpret the world.

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Matyas Bohacek is a student researcher at Stanford University, advised by Professor Hany Farid from UC Berkeley. His research focuses on generative AI, deepfake detection, and other problems at the intersection of AI and media forensics. His recent projects include developing a detector of deepfakes with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and creating a deepfake CNN news anchor, which opened a primetime news show spreading awareness of AI threats. In the past, Matyas worked on AI for accessibility, developing a state-of-the-art sign language translator from video. He also co-founded an exited Verifee, an AI-based app for disinformation detection in Central and Eastern Europe, backed by Google. Matyas is a member of the Forbes 30 under 30 list in Czechia and a recipient of the Innovator of the Year in Czechia. Matyas’ work has been featured in Science and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, among others.

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Christo Buschek is an independent software developer and investigative journalist at Der SPIEGEL and Paper Trail Media. He develops tools and methods for data-driven investigations. In collaboration with Alison Killing and Megha Rajagopalan, Buschek published an investigation exposing an extensive infrastructure in Xinjiang, China, dedicated to long-term detention and incarceration. This investigation, titled “Built to Last,” has received prestigious awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for international reporting.

Additionally, Buschek was a Knowing Machines fellow at the Engelbert Center for Policy and Law at New York University, where he was involved in a research project that examined the histories, practices, and politics of training machine learning systems to interpret the world.

bio

Cristina López G. is a senior analyst at Graphika, where she examines social media information operations and networks of online influence and leads research into AI harms for the company’s ATLAS platform. Before her time at Graphika, Cristina managed Data & Society’s Disinformation Action Lab, which focused on networked responses to communications threats specific to the 2020 U.S. Census. She previously specialized in the analysis of far-right networks and the spread of extremist narratives online as Deputy Director on Extremism at Media Matters, a political media watchdog based in Washington, DC. Cristina holds an undergraduate law degree from Escuela Superior de Economía y Negocios (ESEN) and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University. Born and raised in El Salvador, Cristina is based in Washington, DC.

14:20

Presentations Session

Leveraging AI to counter disinformation

Chaired by Denis Teyssou (AFP, VeraAI) with Clement Briens (Recorded Future), Lyric Jain (Logically), and Manon (Viginum)

About this session

Can the democratisation of access to AI capacities support the counter-disinformation community? In this session we’ll look into how AI can be leveraged to improve research, investigation and hold powerful stakeholders accountable.

Speakers

bio

Clément Briens is a Senior Threat Intelligence Analyst on Insikt Group’s Influence Operations team. He focuses on tracking Chinese influence networks and AI-enabled influence, in addition to supporting technical investigations and tracking of covert influence networks. Clément’s recent work includes Recorded Future investigations on Empire Dragon, Doppelganger, CopyCop, in addition to influence threats to the 2024 Paris Olympics and EU, French, and US elections. When not working on influence operations, he also spends time working on generative AI for analytical and investigative capabilities. His work has been featured by the New York Times, BBC, NPR, Forbes, and The Economist.

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Lyric Jain is the Founder and CEO of Logically, an AI company focused on tackling harmful online content through cutting-edge artificial intelligence. Driven by a mission to deliver an information advantage to Government, Enterprise and Trust & Safety Missions globally, Lyric has built Logically into a global leader in AI-driven solutions that help governments, enterprises, and platforms combat online harms at scale.

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Manon is a Data Scientist working at Viginum

Track 2

13:15

Panel Discussion

Doppelganger: the need for a community approach

Chaired by Alexandre Alaphilippe (EU DisinfoLab) with Hannes Schladebach (German Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Brian Liston (Recorded Future) & Sarah Thust (Correctiv)

About this session

Is it cyber? Is it hybrid? Is it IO? Since 2022, the Doppelganger operation has been ticking all the boxes of the Russian disinformation playbook. But when such operations are designed, how is the counter-disinformation community reacting? In this session, we’ll try to discuss how different stakeholders, even coming from diverse environments, have been able to cooperate together, designing the first steps of a community approach to disinformation.

Speakers

bio

Alexandre Alaphilippe is the Executive director and co-founder of the EU DisinfoLab. Since 2017, he has coordinated work on some of the organisation’s largest investigations into Information Operations linked to Russia, India and China. In 2022, he led the exposure of Doppelganger, which has been labeled as one of the largest information operation from Russia in the past years. He is a member of a number of working groups in Brussels and Washington DC linked to platform regulation, transatlantic relations, and hybrid threats, where he emphasises the role of civil society in maintaining democratic values. He has published papers for the Brookings Institution and his work has been featured on CNN, BBC, Le Monde and Politico.

bio

Brian Liston is a Senior Threat Intelligence Analyst at the Boston, Massachusetts-based intelligence company Recorded Future. Brian specializes in researching Russian malign influence operations, propaganda, and disinformation. His other interests include conducting open-source intelligence (OSINT) investigations, Eastern European politics, and international election security. He holds a master’s degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.

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Sarah Thust has been working for the CORRECTIV fact-checking team in Germany since summer 2020. She studied journalism and psychology at the University of Leipzig and worked for three years, until 2013 as freelance reporter in Cambodia. After her return to Germany, she specialized in debunking misinformation as well as investigating Osint and Telegram.

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Hannes Schladebach is a Desk Officer at the division for Strategic Communication within the German Federal Foreign Office since July 2024. The Division works on Germany’s communication abroad with a special emphasis on countering Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) through open-source analytics and monitoring, international partnerships, dedicated communication products for missions as well as resilience projects in selected regions. Other postings include the Desk for cultural relations with African countries. Hannes’ academic background is political science and security policy, as well as theatre studies and arts.

14:20

Panel Discussion

Disrupting disinformation: combatting Information Operations effectively

Introductory speech by Dace Melbārde (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, chaired by Carl Miller (Demos) with Carrie Goux (US State Department) & Christine Allan de Lavenne (SIDE Law Office)

About this session

This session will delve into how disruption of Information Operations (IOs) and FIMI can happen. We’ll investigate enforcing sanctions as an answer to these operations, considering legal frameworks, international cooperation, and the challenges faced in ensuring compliance and effectiveness in the fight against disinformation.

Speakers

bio

Dace Melbārde is a long-time Minister of Culture of the Republic of Latvia
(2013–2019). Prior to that, she was Director of the Latvian National Cultural
Centre (2011–2013) and Country Manager of the British Council Latvia,
(2009–2011), as well as serving for a number of years at the National
Commission of Latvia for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as President of the Commission
(2013–2019) and Secretary-General (1999–2004).
Dace Melbārde holds a Master’s degree in Public Management from the
Faculty of Economics and Management of the University of Latvia. She has
earned her Master’s degree in Theory and Management of Culture from the
Latvian Academy of Culture and a Bachelor’s degree in History from the
University of Latvia. Dace Melbārde is currently doing doctoral research at the
Latvian Academy of Culture.
Dace Melbārde received the Honorary Award of the World Association of Free
Latvians Cultural Fund in 2017. In 2013, she was awarded the Order of the
Three Stars, Third Class, and a Cabinet of Ministers Certificate of Merit.

bio

Carl Miller founded the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at Demos in 2011 and CASM Technology in 2014, and has spent the last decade researching disinformation, social media intelligence (SOCMINT), extremism, online electoral interference, radicalisation, digital politics, conspiracy theories, cyber-crime, and Internet governance. He is the author of The Death of the Gods: The New Global Power Grab (Penguin Random House), and the presenter of Power Trip: The Age of AI (Intelligence Squared).

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Carrie Goux is Acting Deputy Coordinator for Operations for the Global Engagement Center at the U.S. Department of State. In this role, she serves as senior advisor to the Special Envoy and Coordinator on policy and communications. Her portfolio includes directing the Center’s work on exposing and disrupting foreign information manipulation, building resilient information environments overseas, and understanding the impacts of technology like Artificial Intelligence on information and media ecosystems. In her time at the GEC, Ms. Goux has worked with foreign governments to develop their own counter-disinformation policies; led inter-departmental, inter-agency, and international teams to understand and combat foreign information manipulation; and served as a strategic communication advisor to State Department leadership, as they talk to the world about this constantly evolving issue.

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Christine Allan de Lavenne is a recognized legal expert and attorney in Intellectual Property, Technology Law, Media Law, and Human Rights. With several degrees in law from Paris-Assas-La Sorbonne combining Human Rights with Communication & Tech Law, her career spans impactful roles: She has served as a Legal Consultant for UNESCO and other national institutions for six years, gaining invaluable experience with global legal frameworks. For over 16+ years, Christine has been an EU-licensed practicing attorney and law firm entrepreneur. Her expertise has been recognized industry-wide by clients in multiple verticals and with her firm being awarded “Best Law Firm” in Intellectual Property by the Legal Rating Statista-Le Point for three consecutive years (2022-2024). Her approach is characterized by simplicity, pragmatism, legal creativity and innovative thinking and she thrives on taking dreams and goals further. Christine is a strong advocate of freedom of thought which she believes is humanity’s most essential value. Her purpose is to support this process in all possible ways, free from distortion and pushed to its highest capacities through virtuous innovation and technological progress. As a member of the Harvard-Oxford-Cambridge Study Group on the Right to Science and a board member of an AI company, she focuses on advancing knowledge on the interface between science and technology and is at the forefront of innovation and tools dedicated to the advancement of free and informed decision-making. She is also a sought-after speaker and consultant on cutting-edge topics such as AI Regulation, Intellectual Property and Science, Free Speech and Disinformation, and Decision-Making Dynamics. As a mother of two wonderful girls, she brings a personal stake to her professional mission of contributing to creating an environment where both freedom of thought and technological progress coexist harmoniously, ensuring that free minds make the best possible decisions.

Track 3

13:15

Presentations Session

Concerning disinformative trends: safeguarding public health and climate action

Chaired by Ana Romero (EU DisinfoLab) with Rocío López Iñigo (the World Health Organization – Africa Infodemic Response Alliance), Aleksandra Atanasova (Reset.Tech) & Pragnya Senapati (Ripple Research)

About this session

This session addresses the intertwined challenges of health disinformation and climate disinformation. Inaccurate coverage discouraging life-saving vaccines, advertising unapproved medical supplements, or spreading lies about climate change and its impact on our existence will animate the conversation, highlighting the need for a unified response to protect public health and climate action initiatives.

Speakers

bio

Ana Romero-Vicente works as a researcher at EU DisinfoLab, where she analyses and counters climate change disinformation and analyses the monetisation of disinformation.

bio

Rocío is the interim coordinator for the Africa Infodemic Response Alliance, a WHO-hosted network that aims at addressing health mis- and disinformation circulating across the African Region. She is a specialist in infodemic management, risk communication and community engagement with over 10 years of experience working in multilateral organizations and NGOs in health emergency response and humanitarian settings. She holds studies in journalism, media studies and international relations.

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Aleksandra leads Reset Tech’s open-source intelligence (OSINT) team of analysts. Her research interests are focused on Russian disinformation and major FIMI campaigns such as Doppelganger and Overload. Before joining the world of false information and bad memes, she worked as a digital marketing consultant for various EU institutions and Brussels-based private companies. An aeon prior to that, she studied psychology with the intention of cracking the code of human consciousness. Shocker: she did not crack it. But still values psychology as quintessential for understanding the behavior and ever-evolving TTPs of online threat actors.

bio

Pragnya Senapati leads Policy and Research for Ripple Research, a Switzerland-based advisory firm that works with policymakers, international organizations, and philanthropies to build resilient societies – online and offline. Her background in public policy and legal studies, combined with her expertise in community-led climate action and sustainability initiatives, informs her comprehensive approach to navigating complex societal challenges.  In the last few years, Ripple Research has been involved in several projects that explore the prevalence and impact of misinformation on public discourse and policy decisions across key areas such as climate change, public health, digital democracy, and human rights. Using large-scale behavioral and cultural insights, our research exposes how bad-faith actors hijack online conversations to exacerbate societal polarization and impede progress on climate action. Most recently, we uncovered narratives, events, and key “misinfluencers” fueling false information surrounding sustainable food systems in the context of the 2023 Dutch Farmer protests. Additionally, we have designed and delivered trust-building frameworks and infodemic management strategies to help governments and other public institutions counter misinformation in times of crisis and uncertainty. Our recommendations have informed advocacy campaigns, program design, and policy interventions that encourage social and behavior change at scale. We also developed capacity-building training and coaching sessions on responsible information sharing for a diverse range of stakeholders including bilateral organizations, UN agencies, high-growth social enterprises, academic institutions, and associated media representatives.

14:20

Presentations Session

Community-driven change: collaborative efforts from civil society

Chaired by Melanie Smith (ISD) with Amaury Lesplingart (Check First), Marcela Luchita (the Center for Strategic Communication and Combating Disinformation of the Republic of Moldova) & Rachele Gilman (FIMI ISAC/GDI)

About this session

This session explores the essential role of communities and partnerships in tackling complex challenges through strategic communication and technology. The focus will be on exploring cross-regional and cross-sector collaborations to engage in the fight against disinformation and malign influences collectively.

Speakers

bio

Melanie Smith is the Director of Research for Information Operations at ISD. She leads a team of analysts focused on detecting and exposing information threats from state and non-state actors. Her recent work has focused on topics like state-backed influence campaigns, conflict-related propaganda, and political violence.

bio

Amaury is the CTO and co-founder of CheckFirst, where his expertise in full stack development drives innovation. With a background in founding multiple companies and significant roles in international corporations, his career is marked by diverse technological accomplishments. As an expert for the Mozilla Foundation, the European Commission and many other organisations on the Digital Services Act (DSA) amongst other topics, he has contributed to important discussions in the tech world. His participation in the ObSINT project under the EFCSN project highlights his commitment to ethical standards in open-source research. His engagement extends to sharing knowledge at various prestigious platforms, including the DFRLAb Digital Sherlocks and the SANS Institute.

bio

Marcela Luchita has a strong academic background in Economy and Management, complemented by extensive professional experience across both private and public sectors. Her expertise has been significant in the success of numerous donor-funded projects. Since joining the Center for Strategic Communication and Countering Disinformation of the Republic of Moldova, Marcela has been an integral part of the team. In her current role as head of the Development&Partnership Directorate, she oversees the Center’s portfolio of development partners, ensuring effective partnerships and fostering collaboration. Additionally, she is responsible for engaging with civil society, promoting constructive dialogue and joint efforts to enhance resilience against disinformation.

bio

Rachele F. Gilman is a seasoned intelligence analyst dedicated to combating disinformation and safeguarding democratic processes. As the Director of Intelligence at the GDI, she spearheads efforts to counter online harms, leveraging her expertise in multiple intelligence fields and computational disinformation analysis. Throughout her career at Tadaweb, New Knowledge, and the U.S. Department of Defense, Rachele has built and led high-performing teams, applying rigorous analytical methodologies to evaluate threats and deliver actionable intelligence. Her work, including chairing the FIMI-ISAC and contributing to international standards development, demonstrates a commitment to protecting democratic societies and institutions from information manipulation.

15:20 Coffee break

Track 1

16:00

Keynote

“Please generate an openAI Keynote title for #Disinfo2024”

Chaired by Sabrina Spieleder (NATO) with Ryan Fugit (OpenAI)

About Session

With their content generation capabilities, AI companies hold a unique position upstream of certain threat activities. What is OpenAI’s role in addressing the evolving landscape of threats, and what steps can be taken to mitigate these challenges? In this session, OpenAI Director Ryan Fugit, who leads the company’s Investigations Team, will share insights into AI-driven tools that enhance investigative efficiency. Additionally, you will learn more about OpenAI’s transparency reports and information-sharing processes.

Speakers

bio

Sabrina Spieleder is the Head of Information Environment Assessment in NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division. Sabrina has worked on information threats for many years, including in the German Federal Foreign Office, the European External Action Service and the European Commission. She focussed in particular on understanding how information manipulation threatens society, democracy and security. She worked on an accurate conceptual description of threats in the information environment and how evidence and data can be effectively used for appropriate responses. Building international cooperation on the topic with partners globally has been a key element throughout her career.

bio

Ryan Fugit is a seasoned leader in the tech industry, having led intelligence and cybersecurity teams at Google, Netflix, and, most recently, OpenAI, focused on safeguarding users and countering digital threats. Earlier in his career, Ryan served as an officer in the United States government and Army, specializing in geopolitical, cyber, and counterterrorism efforts.

Track 2

16:00

Panel Discussion

“We’re not afraid”: pushing back disinformers

Chaired by Gunta Sloga (the Baltic Center for Media Excellence) with Ilya Ber (Provereno/Delfi), Lola Tagaeva (Vertska) & Imran Ahmed (Center for Countering Digital Hate),

About this session

Harassment, lawfare, public defamation: the current threat level against the community puts the core of civil society engagement at risk. This session aims to share positive examples of brave individuals and organisations with our community. We will hear from Russian journalists who had to flee their country to continue their crucial work of bringing the truth to the Russian population. We’ll also hear from Imran Ahmed, who will share his insights on how to resist the harassment strategies designed to hurt the CCDH. Each of them had to make hard choices, sometimes rebuild everything from scratch, and yet, they kept up with their ethics and courage to stand up against disinformers.

Speakers

bio

Gunta is a strong supporter of the freedom of speech and independent media in the Baltics. She is an award-winning Latvian journalist and editor, who has won a wide recognition for her reporting and investigations for the flagship Latvian daily newspaper “Diena” and other media outlets. As a commissioning editor for the Latvian Public Television she oversaw development of high quality factual entertainment, original drama and other content and directly contributed to future strategies of the public broadcaster. Gunta is taking active role in journalism non-profits aimed at strengthening quality journalism, and was in charge of the Media Programme at the Soros Foundation Latvia, which supported new media initiatives and professional dialogue. Currently she is the executive director of Baltic Centre for Media Excellence, a regional resource centre for journalists and a hub of media literacy initiatives.

bio

Ilya Ber was born and lived in Moscow (Russia); he is now based in Tallinn (Estonia). He graduated from the Russian State University on Humanities as a historian and worked for 15 years as TV-editor for Russian quiz-shows (10 years as editor-in-chief for ‘How To Be A Millionaire’). At the same time he worked in journalism for BBC Russian Service, RIA Novosti and other media outlets. 2017-2022 he used to be a lecturer at the Institute of Social Sciences of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, where he used to teach the course “Information search and Verification in Modern Media Environment”. In 2020 he was an author and presenter in the weekly fact-checking section Provereno on the international RTVi TV channel. The same year 2020 he launched Provereno.media, a non-profit fact-checking project for the Russian speaking internet community. Now he works as an editor-in-chief for Provereno and as fact-checker for Delfi.ee. And moreover, he continues his teaching activities as a professor at the Media School of the Free University (Riga, Latvia)

bio

Lola Tagaeva is a Russian political journalist, editor, media manager, and organizer of gender literacy festivals. Founder of Verstka, which she launched in April 2022, she was its chief editor until August 2023 and is still its publisher. From 2009 to 2011, Tagaeva was a correspondent for the politics section at Novaya Gazeta. In 2013–2014, she was an observer at Slon.ru and in 2014–2015, she worked for the politics section at RBC. Tagaeva also worked as a correspondent and managing editor of news at TV Rain.

bio

Imran Ahmed is the founder and CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington DC, that is at the forefront of countering the social and psychological malignancies of social media, including online hate, extremism, disinformation, and content and algorithms that hurt users’ mental health.

As one of the world’s foremost authorities on these issues, Imran has dedicated his career to researching and exposing the dangers of social media platforms in the absence of meaningful checks and balances. With his expertise and unwavering commitment to this cause, Imran advises legislators and policymakers around the globe on how to hold social media companies accountable for the content they host and promote by encouraging transparency and ensuring companies take responsibility for the harms they create.

Imran is a sought-after voice in the media, appearing regularly on national and international news outlets and documentaries discussing the alarming rise of hate, misinformation, and extremism online, and the critical work CCDH is doing to combat these threats. He is widely recognized as an authority on the social and psychological impacts of mis- and disinformation online, including identity-based hate, extremism, disinformation, and the spread of conspiracy theories.

Under Imran’s visionary leadership, CCDH has become the world’s foremost organization dedicated to holding social media companies accountable for their practices and the real-world consequences for the content they promote. Through rigorous research, advocacy, and collaboration with policymakers, CCDH is at the forefront of efforts to create safer, more responsible digital spaces for all.

Session in partnership with the Baltic Center for Media Excellence

Track 3

16:00

Presentations Session

Not all facts: addressing identity-based disinformation and defending rights

Chaired by Kate Saner (Artemis Alliance) with Sanne Thijssen (Shake the dust), Patryk Grażewicz (Pravda) & Vic Parsons (The Bureau of Investigative Journalism)

About this session

This session addresses the growing challenge of gender- and identity-based disinformation that threatens rights under the guise of defending conservative values. Experts will share their findings on tackling disinformation and fearmongering attacks against marginalised communities, presenting global efforts to track and expose misinformation surrounding reproductive rights, and exploring current recommendations and actionable strategies for addressing this dangerous phenomenon effectively.

Speakers

bio

Strategist and partnership broker developing impactful collaborations between global brands and NGOs for social and environmental change. Leads Artemis Alliance Learn and Consult Hub, leveraging research to create evidence-based counter-disinformation programmes.

bio

Sanne Thijssen champions change at the intersection of digital rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Through her consultancy, Shake The Dust, she works with changemakers to shift perspectives, create unique solutions, and foster engaging conversations. With over 10 years of experience doing just that, Sanne has partnered with Share-Net to develop the first Global Safe Abortion Map—an open-access resource that helps people identify locations to avoid when seeking care. Sanne’s background is in Public Health, Public Policy, and Human Development, with past experience working with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the EU-Africa think tank ECDPM.

bio

Since 2017, Patryk has been professionally involved in OSINT investigations, threat monitoring, and topical research. He is a member of the fact-checking IFCN-affiliated Pravda Association and OSINT for Ukraine. He has cooperated as a freelancer with various intelligence and brand protection companies, media outlets, and internet creators worldwide. His professional interests include radicalism, political disinformation, Russian influence, pseudoscience, and online communities. Privately, he loves to travel, both physically and intellectually.

bio

Vic Parsons is a freelance journalist writing about queer and trans politics. They are currently working at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism on a project called Trans+ Voices, which is investigating the impact of political transphobia on the daily lives of trans and nonbinary people in the UK. Vic is based in London.

Plenary

17:30

Screening

For Sama

Chaired by Gunta Sloga (BCME) with Hamza Al-Kateab (Doctor & Activist, Action For Sama)

About this session

FOR SAMA is both an intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war. A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad al-Kateab’s life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria as she falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, all while cataclysmic conflict rises around her.

Her camera captures incredible stories of loss, laughter and survival as she wrestles with an impossible choice – whether or not to flee the city to protect her daughter’s life, when leaving means abandoning the struggle for freedom for which she has already sacrificed so much.

Speakers

bio

19:45

Social event

Historic Nighttime Guided Tour of Riga

About this event

Join us for a one-hour night-time tour of Riga where the true facts of history meet disinformation mingling. Led by expert guides, the tour will venture through the city’s key historical landmarks and hidden gems, and create lasting memories in an intellectually stimulating evening. Please note, the event is subject to weather conditions, so bring rain gear as a precaution. We recommend having dinner before the tour.

The guided tour is offered by EU DisinfoLab.

Day 2 - 10 October 2024

Track 1

9:00

Presentations Session

Leveraging platform transparency to detect and report on disinformation

Chaired by Alberto Rabbachin (European Commission) with Ingrid Dickinson (Meta) and Guy Bolton (TikTok)

About this session

Concerns are blossoming regarding the provisions for access to platforms’ data under the DSA. While the delegated act is expected to clarify, researchers, civil society, and journalists are faced with the deprecation of CrowdTangle, different content and advertising libraries or the expensive Research API from X. In this session, platforms’ representatives will present the tools they’re making available to the community. A rare opportunity to ask all the questions about how they will enable more research.

Speakers

bio

Alberto Rabbachin joined the European Commission in 2013 where he is currently a Deputy Head of Unit. He works mainly on the strategy to tackle disinformation, including the Code of Practice on Disinformation. Before joining the Commission, Alberto was a Marie Curie Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

bio

Ingrid Dickinson is a Security Policy Manager on the Threat Disruptions team at Meta, where she specializes in influence operations and cyber espionage. She leads the development and implementation of policies in these spaces, provides direction to specialized investigative teams, and engages with external stakeholders to share how Meta tackles these issues. Her team is responsible for helping disrupt adversarial networks on Meta’s platforms and applying lessons learned to improve product and policy mitigations. Before joining the Meta, Ingrid served in a variety of positions, including roles at Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) and the Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET).

bio

Guy is a Threat Disruptions Manager on TikTok’s Influence Operations Threat Disruptions team, focussing on making TikTok an inhospitable terrain for covert influence operations. His team works together with partner teams throughout TikTok’s Trust and Safety and Security departments, contributing to TikTok’s wider efforts to protect platform integrity and authenticity. Prior to joining TikTok, Guy served in both operational investigations and intelligence roles within a national law enforcement agency alongside reserve service as a military intelligence officer and post-graduate studies in diplomacy and international relations.

10:05

Update

The DSA Update

Chaired by Greg Rohde (EU DisinfoLab) with Joe McNamee (EU DisinfoLab)

About this session

Delegated acts, Access to data, “Strengthened” Code of Practice reborn-as-Code-of-Conduct; the DSA update is designed to update you on the latest from the regulatory front line.

Speakers

bio

Joe McNamee has been working on topics related to internet regulation for over 20 years. Prior to his current role as Senior Policy Expert at EU DisinfoLab, he worked as policy adviser for a political group in the European Parliament. From 2009 to 2018, he led European Digital Rights, the association of digital civil rights organisations in Europe for nine years, working on major topics such as the adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation and the Copyright Directive. Prior to this, Joe worked for a political consultancy specialised in telecommunications and internet policy, where he led three research projects funded by the European Commission. During this time, he also worked on the EU’s E-Commerce (the predecessor to the DSA) and ePrivacy Directives. Joe holds master’s degrees in European Politics and in International Law.

Track 2

9:00

Presentations Session

Bearing the truth: the legacy of Russian disinformation

Chaired by Susan Morgan (EU DisinfoLab) with Vera Tolz (The University of Manchester) & Kevin Limonier (GEODE)

About this session

This session focuses on the multifaceted history of Russian disinformation, digging into the origins, evolution, and tactics of campaigns that have been and will be shaping the geopolitical landscapes over the next decades.

Speakers

bio

Susan has over twenty years’ experience working in different sectors and focused on the intersection of technology and society. Now a freelance consultant, she was the first Executive Director of the Global Network Initiative, a Washington DC based multi-stakeholder initiative focused on the responsibilities of technology companies to protect the free expression and privacy rights of their users when receiving government requests around the world. For ten years she worked in the tech industry for BT. And between 2016 and 2019 she worked at the Open Society Foundations leading a global grant-making portfolio focused on the online public sphere.

bio

Vera Tolz is Sir William Mather Professor of Russian Studies at the University of Manchester, UK. She has published widely on various aspects of Russian nationalism, media politics and the relationship between intellectuals and the state in the imperial, Soviet and post-Soviet periods. Her most recent books include Nation, Ethnicity and Race on Russian Television: Mediating Post-Soviet Difference (with Stephen Hutchings); ‘Russia’s Own Orient’: The Politics of Identity and Oriental Studies in the Late Imperial and Early Soviet Periods; and Russia: Inventing the Nation. She recently completed an AHRC-funded collaborative research project on RT (formerly Russia Today). The main outcome of this project is the book with Cornell University Press (2024), titled Russia, Disinformation and the Liberal Order: RT as Populist Pariah (co-authored with Stephen Hutchings, Precious Chatterje-Doody, Rhys Crilley and Marie Gillespie). She is currently working on a new project ‘(Mis)Translating Deceit after the Cold War: Disinformation as a Translingual, Discursive Dynamic’, which is funded by the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council.

bio

Kevin Limonier is an associate professor in geography and Slavic studies at the French Institute of Geopolitics (University of Paris 8), and vice director of Geode (www.geode.science), a research center dedicated to the geopolitics of the datasphere. He is also a member of the Institut Universitaire de France and the head of the Observatory of the Russian-Speaking Cyberspace of the French Ministry of Armed Forces. He gives lecture in several universities such as Saint Cyr Coetquidan (French military academy) and has been a lecturer of geopolitics at the Russian State University for Humanities in the early 2010s. His work focuses on the history and the geography of the Russian cyberspace, and on the development of new methods of data investigation (OSINT) for geopolitics.

10:05

Presentations Session

Contemporary active responses: Learning from Kyiv

Chaired by Rihards Bambals with Maryna Vorotyntseva (NATO StratCom CoE Representative), Marie-Doha Besancenot (NATO) and Olha Danchenkova (Calibrated Agency)

About this session

This session will delve into disinformation surrounding the conflict in Ukraine over two and a half years since Russia’s invasion. How are they coping with active disinformation measures on their land, and what have we learnt from their responses?

Speakers

bio

Dr. Rihards Bambals is Director of Strategic Communication at the State Chancellery of Latvia (Government Office). He is responsible for coordinated Latvia’s communication with target audiences, based on a whole-of-government approach, and he coordinates efforts accross different formats between governmental and non-governental stake-holders to protect the information integrity and to bolster psychological defences against information influence operations. R.Bambals has developed Latvia’s first doctrine on strategic communication and security of the information space (2023-2027), he is an editor and author of Latvia’s first handbook on how recognize and counter disinformation (2022), and his department has created a platform for citizens to report potential disinformation (www.melnsuzbalta.lv) – one of the first in the world. Rihards has a doctoral degree in political sciences from University of Latvia (2019).

bio

Marie-Doha Besancenot became NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy in September 2023. The Public Diplomacy Division (PDD) works to raise the Alliance’s profile with audiences world-wide and to build support for Alliance operations and policies.

Ms. Besancenot is a graduate of France’s École Normale Supérieure, and has an advanced qualifications in English and a master’s degree in German Studies. She began her career in 2005 as a specialist in American studies at Université Paris Ouest Nanterre, then in 2009 joined the office of the Prime Minister as adviser responsible for speeches and communications.

She joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2012 as cultural attaché at the Embassy of France in the United Kingdom.

In 2014, she joined Allianz France as Head of the CEO’s office, before becoming Director of Public Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility in 2016. Since 2020, she headed the Communications, Brand and Corporate Social Responsibility where she developed the brand awareness and the brand value.

In 2021-2022, she audited classes alongside the 29th year group of the French War College.

In 2021, she was selected as one of the Institut Aspen France’s Young Leaders.

bio

Ms Maryna Vorotyntseva joined the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence as a Senior Expert in June 2023. From to 2022-2023, Ms Vorotyntseva worked at the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Ms Vorotyntseva is a former journalist (2003-2008), editor-in-chief (2008-2015), election campaigns and political communications adviser (2015 – 2019), writer, and publisher. Ms Vorotyntseva has been researching Russian propaganda against Ukraine since 2004. In 2020 she co-authored the book How Ukraine Lost Donbas. The publication tells the story of Russian political and propaganda influence on eastern Ukraine from 2003 to 2014.

bio

Olha Danchenkova, Co-founder of Calibrated, a Ukraine-born communication agency focused on global PR, strategic communications, anti-crisis comms, and the creation of impactful narratives. Communications strategist with a proven track record of leading successful international media and advocacy campaigns to mobilize support for Ukraine and engage global audiences (working with the Ukrainian public sector, think tanks and international companies). With a robust background in strategic communications and public advocacy, Olha has effectively executed projects that strengthen economic security, enhance resilience, and advance EU integration efforts. Before Calibrated, she co-founded the Ukrainian PR Army NGO and led the Brand, Marketing, and Communications department at EY Ukraine, where she shaped comprehensive PR and marketing strategies and impactful CSR initiatives.

Track 3

9:00

Presentations Session

WTF (what’s the fact-checking): navigating challenges and innovations

Chaired by Giovanni Zagni (Pagella Politica) with Nelly Pailleux (Les Surligneurs), Hendrik Bruns (The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre – EC JRC) & Anna Hollingsworth (AFP)

About this session

Often framed as a first-line response, fact-checking is experiencing a fast and evolving growth pace. What are the challenges faced by fact-checkers nowadays? How do they reinvent themselves and work in a cooperative manner? This session will explore how the community embraces new challenges to stay at the forefront of deconstructing narratives.

Speakers

bio

Giovanni Zagni, PhD, is a journalist from Milan, Italy, and the Director of the fact-checking projects Pagella Politica and Facta.news. He is a member of the Executive board of the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), serving as the Chair of its Task Force on the European Parliamentary Elections 2024. He is a member of the MSI-INF Committee of Experts on the Integrity of Online Information established in 2022 by the Council of Europe, and took part as an expert in the Monitoring Unit on Disinformation around Covid-19 established by the Italian government in 2020. He is the coauthor of “Bugie al potere. Il fact-checking del governo Meloni” (2023) and one book on the sociology of fact-checking.

bio

Nelly Pailleux is Chief Operations Officer at Les Surligneurs, a legal-checking French media, where she applies her expertise in media, technology, and disinformation to advance the organisation’s mission. She previously co-founded CheckFirst, doing research on social media disinformation, and developing insights on recommendation algorithms’ influence. She used to work as a fact-checker during the Covid-19 pandemic.

bio

Hendrik joined the Joint Research Centre as a behavioural and environmental economist in 2020. His work at the JRC primarily deals with aspects of the European Green Deal, especially individual behaviour relating to climate, energy, and the environment. Hendrik is interested in applying behavioural interventions to motivate pro-environmental behaviour and in the various aspects of misinformation and scepticism, mainly relating to climate change. Currently, he is leading the work on designing EU harmonised waste sorting labels, works on projects related to consumer food waste reduction, and explores several aspects of disinformation.

He graduated from the University of Hamburg as a Doctor of Economics (Dr. rer. pol.) in 2018 and was a fellow of the International Max-Planck Research School on Earth System Modelling.

bio

I’m a fact-checking journalist at the news agency AFP, covering mis- and disinformation in Finland and Sweden. A lot of my work tackles climate-related claims, ranging from historical carbon dioxide measurements to Arctic ice and the environmental effects of wind turbines.

10:05

Presentations Session

The OSINT session

Chaired by Ines Narciso (Vost Europe) with Léa Ronzaud (Graphika) and Vincent Gaudio (INPACT)

About this session

How can a simple online video help you identify a group of Russian hackers? How can OSINT be applied for financial investigations to hold accountable terrorist groups? In this session, OSINT practitioners will guide you through the latest OSINT techniques and investigations. Beware of the rabbit hole.

Speakers

bio

Inês Narciso has a master’s degree in Criminology from the University of Leicester and is a PhD candidate in Sociology of Communication at ISCTE-IUL. She specialises in OSINT and has carried out research at the ISCTE-IUL MediaLab in the area of disinformation and influence operations. She participates in various European and international working groups in these areas, namely the Code of Practice for Disinformation (CoP), led by the European Commission, the FIMI-ISAC founded at the initiative of the European External Action Service and the Partnership for Countering Influence Operations of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She is also one of the authors of the Obsint Guidelines, which try to bring digital research practices in Osint closer to the ethical commitments and methodological rigour of digital methodologies. She was a member of the Osint Curious group before the organisation decided to stop. She is an active volunteer for VOST Europe, an organisation of digital volunteers, through which she sits on the CoP and the FIMI ISAC. She has worked directly for the portuguese prime-minister António Costa as a Technical Expert and advisor in the XXII and XXIII governments of Portugal (2021-2024).

bio

Léa Ronzaud is a senior investigator at Graphika, specializing in the detection and tracking of influence operations and extremist groups. Léa’s work has helped disrupt efforts by extremists in multiple countries to orchestrate real-world harm and exposed the inner workings of nation-state influence operations from Russia, China, and Iran. She holds a Masters degree in geopolitics from the French Institute of Geopolitics.

bio

Vincent Gaudio is a founding member of the NGO INPACT.

11:05 Coffee break

Track 1

11:45

Panel Discussion

Can the DSA achieve its objectives?

Chaired by Diana Wallis (EU DIsinfoLab) with Prabhat Agarwal (European Commission), Eliska Pirkova (AccessNow) & Paolo Cavaliere (University of Edinburgh)

About this session

Perhaps no EU regulation was so highly anticipated and widely discussed. But engaging communication creates high expectations. In this session, we’ll talk with regulators and academics on how to manage these expectations, and make sure the Digital Services Act (DSA) can achieve what it was designed for.

Speakers

bio

Prabhat Agarwal is the Head of the ‘Digital Services’ Unit at the European Commission's DG CONNECT, responsible for the enforcement of the Digital Services Act. Prabhat holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Cambridge and lives in Brussels. Prior to joining the European Commission, Prabhat Agarwal worked as a R&D scientist in the semiconductor industry.

bio

Eliška Pírková works as Senior Policy Analyst and the Global freedom of expression lead at Access Now, the international human rights organization that defends and extends digital rights of online users at risk around the world. As a member of the European Access Now team, she leads the work on freedom of expression, content governance and platform accountability.

bio

Paolo Cavaliere is a Senior Lecturer (~Associate Professor) in Digital Media and IT Law at the University of Edinburgh Law School, where he teaches courses in media law, freedom of expression and digital human rights at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. He is currently a co-director of SCRIPT, a law and technology research centre based in the School of Law within the University of Edinburgh, and a research associate at the University of Oxford’s Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy. Further to his academic activity, Paolo is admitted to the Bar in Italy (non-practising) and he regularly provides expertise on telecommunications and media law to a range of NGOs and international organisations, including the Council of Europe and the OSCE among others.

Track 2

11:45

Presentations Session

Disinformation as a Weapon: The Delegitimisation of Humanitarian Aid in the Israel-Gaza War

with Emerson Brooking (DFRLab) & Dina Sadek (DFRLab)

About this session

This panel will explore the tactics and impact of disinformation and influence operations about humanitarian organisations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With a particular focus on disinformation against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the panel will examine the real-life impact of influence operations targeting voters and lawmakers and polluting the information landscape.

Speakers

bio

Emerson T. Brooking is Director of Strategy and Resident Senior Fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) of the Atlantic Council and is a widely cited expert in the fields of information conflict, disinformation, and technology policy. From 2022 to 2023, he took leave from the DFRLab to serve as Cyber Policy Advisor within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, where he was an author of the 2023 DoD Cyber Strategy. Brooking is the coauthor of LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018) and has published work in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and the Atlantic, among others. He holds a BA in Political Science and Classical Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

bio

Dina Sadek is a Resident Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), leading the research portfolio on foreign malign influence around the 2024 US elections and the Mideast team. Prior to joining the DFRLab, Dina worked on designing and implementing programs focusing on media and civil society development and safeguarding human rights and freedom of expression. She holds a master’s degree in global security and strategy from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Her master’s research focused on the contributing factors to disinformation and extreme speech in long-term conflicts with case studies on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the Myanmar internal conflict.

Track 3

11:45

Presentations Session

Mission NOT accomplished: unintended fallbacks from investigations

Chaired by Maria Giovanna Sessa (EU DisinfoLab) with Jack Brewster (NewsGuard) & Victoire Rio (What To Fix)

About this session

What has the community-fighting disinformation learned from past mistakes? What are the unintended consequences of fighting disinformation? What happens when defenders mislead, and what can we do next with what we learned?

Speakers

bio

Maria Giovanna Sessa is the Research Manager at EU DisinfoLab. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and has previously worked for research foundations, think tanks, and as a university teaching assistant. Her research interests focus on the use of disinformation in political communication, gender-based attacks, and international crises, including FIMI. Lately, she has been working around DSA enforcement, linking research and policy implementation.

bio

Jack Brewster is an editor managing NewsGuard’s investigative reports on misinformation and emerging technologies. On the side, he owns and manages a startup, Newsreel, whose mission is to fight news avoidance among young people.

bio

Victoire Rio is a global tech accountability practitioner and advocate and a leading expert on social media monetization and its impact on information integrity.

She is the founder and executive director of WHAT TO FIX, a non-profit working to move the tech accountability conversation towards more actionable diagnosis and globally-sound solutions.

Prior to founding WHAT TO FIX, Victoire led tech accountability efforts out of Myanmar, spearheading Myanmar civil society’s engagement with tech companies from 2016-2023, as the country went though a genocide, a civil war, a pandemic, an election, a military coup and a revolution. Alongside her work in Myanmar, she helped convene the Next Billion Network, a community of practice bringing together frontline actors from a range of high risk contexts.

She’s looked extensively at the role and abuse of social media in crisis and authoritarian contexts and has pioneered a range of investigation, documentation, risk mitigation and advocacy strategies that have fueled systemic change to platforms’ products, policies, enforcement and global engagement.

Victoire holds a MA in Conflict, Security and Development from King’s College London. Originally from France, she has lived and worked in Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Haiti, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the UK, and the US.

12:30 Lunch break

Networking lunch for EU-funded projects

A special networking lunch is open for all EU-funded projects. This will be an ideal occasion to meet peers involved in innovative projects around AI, FIMI, and other current topics in the disinformation sphere, and to start developing new collaborations.

The attendance at the lunch is included in the #Disinfo2024 conference fee, but a separate registration is required. If you’re interested in participating, please send us an email to conference@disinfo.eu, with the subject line ‘Project networking lunch’, and include your name, organisation, and the project you represent. (And don’t forget to register for the conference here!)

13:00 Lunch Session: Latvian Resilience on Disinformation (with the support of the German Embassy in Latvia)

#Disinfo2024 sets foot in Riga and gives the floor to Latvian stakeholders. These sessions will feature insights from both government officials and journalists, offering a comprehensive view of the challenges and strategies employed. Latvia, with its history of resisting Russian aggression and leading in countering Kremlin disinformation and propaganda will inspire all of us to develop and strengthen disinformation countermeasures. Chaired by Pekka Kallioniemi (Vatnik Soup) with Rihards Bambals (State Chancellery of Latvia) and Gunta Sloga (BCME). With the participation of the German Ambassador to Latvia.

Track 1

13:45

Presentations Session

Can advertising cash stop funding misinformation trash?

Chaired by Claire Pershan (Mozilla Foundation) with Domen Savič (Citizen D), Claire Atkin (Check My Ads), & Victoire Rio (What To Fix)

About this session

Is the online adtech industry inherently fraudulent? This question arises because the ad tech industry appears to have failed to act on rampant fraud and reputational damage to brands for years and publishers’ efforts to clean up the sector have fallen flat. In this session, we’ll examine why the money spent on advertising is ending up in disinformers pockets, making adtech cash a driver of online disinformation.

Speakers

bio

Claire is the Mozilla Foundation’s EU Advocacy Lead, based in Brussels, Belgium. She leads Mozilla Foundation’s campaigns focused on transparency and accountability of the world’s largest tech and AI companies.

bio

Domen is the Director of digital rights at NGO Citizen D and a freelance journalist. He is exploring the interconnected world of human rights and digital technologies.

bio

Claire Atkin is co-founder and CEO of Check My Ads, the adtech industry’s first watchdog. As a leading brand safety advocate, she is a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 brands, government officials, journalists and industry leaders. Her work to build new sustainable standards in digital advertising while dismantling the ad-funded disinformation economy has been recognized in New York Magazine, New York Times, The Guardian, WIRED, El Pais, and more. As a brand safety advocate, she holds the surveillance adtech industry accountable for abuses against advertisers and consumers in Check My Ads’s popular newsletter. She has received Adweek’s Young Innovators Award, and Fast Company’s Most Innovative Media Agency. Her work intersects the economics of digital marketing, media, and disinformation to expose where how resources .

bio

Victoire Rio is a global tech accountability practitioner and advocate and a leading expert on social media monetization and its impact on information integrity.

She is the founder and executive director of WHAT TO FIX, a non-profit working to move the tech accountability conversation towards more actionable diagnosis and globally-sound solutions.

Track 2

13:45

Panel Discussion

Challenges faced by the Global Majority in building resilience against disinformation

Chaired by Viktors Makarovs (Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) with Frédéric Alinabo Namegabe (Balobaki Check), Nighat Dad (Digital Rights Foundation) & Lucina Di Meco (#ShePersisted)

About this session

What are the main challenges faced by the counter-disinformation community outside Europe? This session will focus on building resilience and capacity outside the global North. Hostile environment, skill gap, talent retention – the speakers in this session will share their struggle and their solutions to empower a diverse community.

Speakers

bio

Viktors Makarovs is the first envoy on digital affairs to be appointed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia. His current focus is on information integrity and security and impact of AI. Since 2014, he has led the Ministry’s work on disinformation, focusing on EU policies and international cooperation on the issue. Before joining the Ministry in 2011, Viktors acquired a background in the Latvian NGO think-tanking community where his two main interests were Latvian political culture and Russia’s foreign and domestic policy. He holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

bio

Frédéric is the Technical Advisor at Balobaki Check. Human Right lawyer, Researcher and journalist’s freedom defender; Frédéric is a 15 years’ extensive experienced journalist practitioner. He has worked for several local media and International NGO in journalism related projets as project manager, monitoring and evaluation officer, journalist trainer, fact-checker journalist and communication expert mostly during health crises (Ebola, Covid, monkey pox), and Security Sector Reform projets including Dai Europe, EPES Mandala and Internews Network NGOs. He is graduated from Makerere University Human Rights College in Kampala, Uganda.

bio

Nighat Dad is a leading advocate for digital rights. She is the founder and executive director of the Digital Rights Foundation (DRF), an organization dedicated to promote digital freedoms. Nighat serves as a member of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on AI, and is also a member of Independent Oversight Board, playing a crucial role in overseeing and guiding content moderation practices to ensure fairness and accountability on the Meta’s platform. Recognized for her impactful work, Nighat has received numerous accolades, including being recognised as one of Time magazine’s Next Generation Leaders, a TED fellow and Young Global Leader of WEF. Her expertise is frequently sought by international organizations, reflecting her significant contributions to advancing digital rights and protecting online freedoms globally.

bio

Lucina Di Meco is a women’s rights advocate, recognized by Apolitical as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Gender Policy . She is the co-founder of #ShePersisted, a global initiative dedicated to addressing gendered disinformation through research, support to women leaders and advocacy for stronger digital platform standards. Lucina is the author of multiple studies focusing on the impact of gendered disinformation on democracy and election integrity, including “Monetizing Misogyny: Gendered Disinformation and the Undermining of Women’s Rights and Democracy Globally.” Lucina’s work has been featured on some of the world’s most authoritative outlets, including The Guardian, The New York Times, the BBC, Time Magazine, The Washington Post, El Pais, Folha de Sao Paulo, Politico, Brookings, and The Council of Foreign Relations, among others. Throughout her 20+ years career in international development, Lucina has worked with a wide range of international organizations and nonprofits, including UNDP, UN Women, Vital Voices, The Wilson Center, International IDEA, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and currently also serves as Vice President for Gender Equality for Room to Read.

Track 3

13:45

Keynote

Cultural Learnings of Europe for Make Benefit Glorious NGO tackling disinformation – Pre-subsequent session

with Alexandre Alaphilippe & Gary Machado (EU DisinfoLab)

About this session

In 2017, two idealistic thirty-somethings set out to tackle disinformation by creating an NGO. Fast forward a few years, several kilograms, and countless grey hairs later, they’re here to share their rollercoaster journey. Join us for a session filled with humour and thought-provoking moments as they recount the challenges, and even detrimental behaviours by the most unexpected actors that tested their resolve to keep the organisation alive in 2024.

Speakers

bio

Gary is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of the EU DisinfoLab. He holds a Master’s degree in European Affairs and has been running another Brussels-based non-profit focused on public safety since 2006. At the EU DisinfoLab, Gary has played a key role in managing the organization’s growth and structure, as well as leading some of its advocacy efforts, particularly concerning the Digital Services Act (DSA). He is also the co-author of several OSINT investigations published by the organization, including the well-known reports Indian Chronicles and Doppelganger.

14:45 Coffee Break

Plenary

15:25

Interview

2019-2024: Successes and Challenges of the EU Approach with European Commission’s Vice President Vera Jourova

Chaired by Diana Wallis (EU DisinfoLab) with Vera Jourova (European Commission)

About this session

Europe has long been considered a leader in digital platform regulation. In this session, the outgoing Vice-President of the European Commission, Věra Jourová, will present, for the first time, the election assessment, addressing key issues such as disinformation, cyber threats, and the role of AI in undermining democratic processes. She will also reflect on her mandate, discussing both achievements and the remaining challenges that have yet to be resolved over the past five years.

Speakers

16:00

Interview

Old International Institutions, Innovative New Thinking?

Chaired by Alicia Wanless (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) with Melissa Fleming (United Nations)

About this session

While all eyes are on European regulation or the future of the United States, other anti-disinformation efforts are being designed at the supranational level. Can solutions be found to counter disinformation and improve the information ecosystem at the international level? In this section, we’ll explore the possibilities and limits of this approach.

Speakers

bio

Melissa Fleming was appointed UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications in September 2019.

She leads the UN’s Department of Global Communications, which informs global audiences about the state of the world and engages them to build support for the work and goals of the United Nations.

In this role, Ms. Fleming oversees the Department’s strategic and crisis communications operations, including its multilingual news and digital media services, public outreach programmes, and global campaigns.

Under her leadership, the UN Department of Global Communications engages in far-reaching efforts to address mis- and disinformation, and hate speech and also to promote free and independent media. She led the development of the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity, a blueprint for healthy information ecosystems.

Previously, Ms. Fleming served 10 years at the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) as Spokesperson for the High Commissioner and Head of Global Communications. Prior to that, she was the Spokesperson and Head of Media and Outreach at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). She earlier headed Press and Public Information at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and before that, served as Public Affairs Specialist at Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty. She also worked as a journalist.

Ms. Fleming is a TED speaker, the author of the book, A Hope More Powerful than the Sea, and the host of the award-winning UN podcast, Awake at Night. She has published widely on strategic communications and is a frequent public speaker at universities and conferences.

She holds a Master of Science in Journalism from the College of Communication, Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts in German Studies from Oberlin College.

bio

Dr. Alicia Wanless is the Director of the Information Environment Project at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which aims to foster evidence-based policymaking for the information environment. The initiative builds on the work of the Partnership for Countering Influence Operations, which she also led. Alicia has also created a multi-stakeholder network in partnership with the G7 Rapid Response Network to support information integrity efforts in Ukraine. Alicia was a technical advisor to Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder and is a founding member of its Global Cybersecurity Group. She is also an expert advisor to the World Economic Forum’s Global Coalition for Digital Safety. At King’s College London in War Studies, she completed her PhD, combining strategic theory and ecology in a new approach to understanding conflict within the information environment.

16:30

Keynote: Don’t mute your ethical values

with Liz Wahl

About this session

On 5 March 2014, viewers from Russia Today America watched Liz Wahl, a news anchor journalist, quit her job because she could not caution the Russian State media propaganda over the war against Ukraine. During this last session of the conference, Liz will walk us through her journey, how she started working for RT America, how she realised the consequences of this choice and how she decided to call Russian propaganda out.

Speakers

bio

17:00

Closing session

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EU DisinfoLab 2024 Annual Conference

9-10 October, Riga, Latvia

Day 0 - 8 October 2024

Day 1 - 9 October 2024

Plenary

Opening

Silencing voices: the ultimate target of propaganda

Hamza Al-Kateab

Liz Wahl

10:15 Coffee break

Track 1

Election year: a live stress test for democracy against FIMI

Uldis Elksnitis

Paula Gori

Benjamin Shultz

Ben Graham-Jones

Track 2

Cybersecurity and Information operation: converging interests

Francesca Bosco

Daniel Kapellman

Hervé Letoqueux

Max Glicker

Track 3

Biases, polarisation, and psychology: human beings as part of the problem and the solution

Lea Frühwirth

Robin Blom

Alexa Hassan

12:00 Lunch break

Track 1

Artificial intelligence, artificial information? A new acceleration of the (dis)information cycle

Raquel Miguel Serrano

Matyas Bohacek

Christo Buschek

Cristina Lopez G

Leveraging AI to counter disinformation

Denis Teyssou

Clement Briens

Lyric Jain

Manon

Track 2

Doppelganger: the need for a community approach

Alexandre Alaphilippe

Brian Liston

Sarah Thust

Hannes Schladebach

Disrupting disinformation: combatting Information Operations effectively

Dace Melbārde

Carl Miller

Carrie Goux

Christine Allan de Lavenne

Track 3

Concerning disinformative trends: safeguarding public health and climate action

Ana Romero

Rocío López Iñigo

Aleksandra Atanasova

Pragnya Senapati

Community-driven change: collaborative efforts from civil society

Melanie Smith

Amaury Lesplingart

Marcela Luchita

Rachele Gilman

15:20 Coffee break

Track 1

“Please generate an openAI Keynote title for #Disinfo2024”

Sabrina Spieleder

Ryan Fugit

Track 2

“We’re not afraid”: pushing back disinformers

Gunta Sloga

Ilya Ber

Lola Tagaeva

Imran Ahmed

Track 3

Not all facts: addressing identity-based disinformation and defending rights

Kate Saner

Sanne Thijssen

Patryk Grażewicz

Vic Parsons

Plenary

For Sama