The XXVI Open Society Forum "Europe at the Crossroads: Civil Society, Media Literacy and Resilience in Europe" session can be viewed by clicking the video player above.

Organizers said that the forum delves into the nature and extent of problems associated with disinformation, while also highlighting the specific transnational and national dynamics at play.

Speakers include Latvian investigative journalist Inga Springe and Estonian communications expert and filmmaker Ilmar Raag; simultaneous translation into English is provided, where necessary.

First panel discussion "State of Play: Fake News, Disinformation and the War Against Ukraine"

The first panel engaged in a comprehensive discussion on the mechanics and objectives of disinformation, exploring its spread and operation. Topics of focus included the emergence of the new disinformation ecosystem, the influencers behind it, and their impact on public opinion, with a particular emphasis on the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region in the aftermath of Russia's war against Ukraine. The panel also examined the reach, goals and societal implications of disinformation and provided an overview of the current situation of fake news and disinformation in CEE, as well as in the wider European and global contexts.

Invited speakers were: Nikola Tulechki, co-founder and data scientist, Data for Good, Bulgaria; Maciej Sopyło, media literacy, human rights and communication skills trainer, Poland; Inga Springe, co-founder and investigative journalist at the Baltic Center for Investigative Journalism Re:Baltica, Latvia. 

Second panel discussion "Disinformation and Resilience in Estonia"

The second panel addressed the critical issue of disinformation in Estonia and explore effective practices to tackle it. More specifically, the focus is on the role of civil society and the media in countering disinformation and in increasing the resilience of citizens and institutions to information attacks. The panel discussed both existing best practices as well as innovative approaches that have medium to long term results, such as fact-checking initiatives, deepfake detection and civic education, that contribute to increased media literacy and help to protect and inoculate democracy.

The invited speakers were: Holger Roonemaa, head of the investigative and fact-checking desk, Delfi, Estonia and Ilmar Raag, strategic communication expert.

The XXVI Open Society Forum is funded by the Active Citizens Fund and the European Union in the framework of the project "CoviDemocracy in the Baltics".

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