Dynamic wargame exercise pitting two teams against each other in an attempt to take control of the eastern European country of Mundovia. Two teams will battle it out using a range of hybrid warfare tactics and countermeasures ahead of a decisive presidential election. Each side will have to use their resources carefully and consider everything from cyber resilience and judicial corruption to vote buying and bot networks. The exercise is based on real-world tactics and participants will gain insight into the full spectrum of Russian influence tactics and how they can be countered.

Number of participants: 20 participants

Access: free to participants registered in #Disinfo2025 - a separate registration for the workshop is mandatory!

Get ready to dive into the conference spirit! Join us for a casual pre-conference gathering to connect with fellow attendees and make new connections.

We’ll kick off the conference and set the stage for two days of discussion, exchange, and fresh insights.

With:
Diana Wallis, President of EU DisinfoLab

When examining where propaganda and terrorism have most starkly converged in the digital age, Syria stands as a grim example. There, Russian and Iranian disinformation intersected with jihadist narratives and the regime’s own propaganda machinery.

To explore this complex ecosystem, we will host Nicolas Hénin, a researcher and former journalist with extensive experience in disinformation and societal resilience. In 2013, while reporting from Syria, he was abducted and held for 300 days by the jihadist group ISIS. A decade later, as he faced his torturers in court, he learned that their justification for the atrocities committed in Syria was rooted in a potent mix of propaganda.

He will be interviewed by Waad Al-Kateab, a Syrian filmmaker and the director of For Sama. Together, they will guide us through this battlefield of narratives, where local and international actors have constantly reshaped information to serve their political and military objectives.

With : 
Nicolas Hénin, researcher, former war reporter

Interviewed by:
Waad Al-Kateab, filmmaker, Action For Sama

In this session, we will explore how disinformation and information manipulation are weaponised to undermine healthcare systems and public services in conflict zones and crisis contexts. Drawing from powerful case studies and frontline investigations, the discussion will focus on how false narratives are used to justify violence, discredit humanitarian actors and erode public trust in essential healthcare services.

With: 

Hamza Al-Kateab, Action For Sama 
Greg Rohde, EU DisinfoLab Board member 

At #Disinfo2025 we’re opening a new track entirely dedicated to tech and Policy issues. To set the tone, our very own Joe McNamee will update the current regulatory discussions that will serve as a baseline for the following discussions. It’s fat, sweet and makes indigestible food bloody and tasty, welcome to the policy ketchup.

With: 
Joe McNamee, EU DisinfoLab

The fragility of democracy and the rapidity of its erosion are no longer just in history books, nor is history confined to those books. In this session, we will use history and philosophy to help us understand the current move towards illiberal movements that are ripping apart the rule of law. We hope learning from the past will teach us how to resist the forces undermining democracy and freedom.

With:
Timothy Ryback, historian 

Chaired by:
Susan Morgan, EU DisinfoLab

What happens when science itself becomes a target? As misinformation spreads and public trust wavers, the scientific community must navigate a complex landscape of scepticism and distortion. This session exposes how science is being twisted, faked, and repackaged, fueling confusion, distrust, and division. Join us as we tackle the evolving threats to science’s role in society and explore how it can adapt, respond, and remain a trusted pillar of public life.

With: 
Representative from Women's Link Worldwide / Managing Attorney

This presentation will detail the investigative steps and methodologies used to identify 531 Telegram accounts using generative AI to create English and Russian political content, key indicators of this type of behaviour, and how their TTPs evolved during the operation.

With:
Léa Ronzaud, Graphika 
Jean le Roux, Graphika 

With:
Representative from the EDRN project

In this session, we explore how disinformation and information manipulation are reshaping the threat landscape across critical security domains - particularly weapons of mass destruction (WMD), nuclear and radiological risk and maritime security. Through expert insights and case studies, the panel will examine how information warfare exacerbates/amplifies escalation risks, undermines deterrence, and exploits vulnerabilities in traditionally siloed areas of defence and international cooperation.

With:
Lukas Albrecht, German Aerospace Center
Marcy R. Fowler, Open Nuclear Network

The evolving landscape of foreign disinformation campaigns targeting European democracies, highlighting case studies from Poland, Germany, and Romania, providing a comparative, cross-border view of interference threats, equipping audiences with concrete insights into how information warfare is being waged across Europe—and how defenders are adapting.

With:
Agata Pyka, Notes from Poland
Max Bernhard, CORRECTIV
Michal Trnka, Gerulata

Chaired by:
Paula Gori, EDMO 

In this session we will have an update on the current enforcement of European regulation. Multiple investigations and proceedings have been opened by the European Commission, but what is their impact? What did the new Code of Conduct change? And moreover, what is to expect of the current call to simplify regulation?

Disinformation is evolving, and AI is accelerating it. No longer confined to human actors, falsehoods are now authored, amplified, and adapted by machines. This session unpacks how AI is being weaponised to produce convincing fakes, overwhelm information ecosystems, and undermine democratic debate. These threats may be powered by algorithms, but their impact is very real.

With: 
Andrea Colamedici, philosopher and author (tbc)

This session will explore how disinformation targets the preparedness and psychological resilience of both military and civilian personnel in national security contexts. Speakers will examine gendered disinformation, morale erosion and identity-based manipulation as strategic tools used in modern information warfare. The case studies presented will highlight approaches to building resilience within armed forces, civilian populations and defence structures.

With:
Stefke Teunisse, Dutch Army 
Tanna Krewson, The Centre for Information Resilience 
Johannes Lindgren, NATO StratCom COE / Swedish Psychological Defence Agency (tbc)

This session sheds light on the methods, networks, and regional impacts of propaganda operations, exploring how authoritarian regimes embed disinformation into statecraft and media ecosystems to expand influence beyond their borders, with a focus on (Hungary - tbc) Russia, and the Balkans. 

With:
Dagard Pierre, Reporters sans frontières 
Mirjana Jevtovic, Radio Free Europe

Chaired by:
John Cappello, Balkan Security Network 

Much emphasis has been put on the European Commission regarding the implementation and enforcement of the Digital Services Act. However, the success of the enforcement will also be assured by the successful engagement at national level. This includes of course the upscaleing of national Digital Services Coordinator and many wonder how have they integrated their new missions. 

With:

Representatives from DSCs

This session delves into the legacy of disinformation campaigns by major polluters and the political games still shaping global climate talks. With COP30 approaching fast, we explore how global negotiations are influenced not only by science and diplomacy but also by disinformation, lobbying, and persistent narratives that refuse to fade. As these familiar actors adapt to new tools and networks, the challenge to cut through disinformation and advance urgent climate action has never been greater. In a year billed as a turning point, can the truth cut through?

With: 
Lindsey Gulden, Former ExxonMobil climate scientist (tbc)
Henry Peck, Global Witness/Senior Campaigner
Representative from Tactical Tech (tbc)

This session will highlight practical strategies and collaborative efforts to counter FIMI. It brings together experts and initiatives focusing on community-driven defences, legal frameworks and measures to improve societal resilience against disinformation.

With:
Inês Narciso, ISCTE-IUL / CPI
Benjamin Shultz, American Sunlight Project 

This session takes a deeper look into the Paperwall, HaiEnergy, and Glassbridge infrastructure, unveiling a detailed map of the ecosystem, exposing fresh evidence of Chinese state involvement, and decoding the narrative tactics serving both Chinese and, surprisingly, Russian interests. Dr Paul Charon and Côme Allard share the findings of their investigation into Baybridge, a complex influence operation shaping today’s information space.

With:
Côme Allard, Tadaweb
Paul Charon, IRSEM

Chaired by:
Beatriz Marin Garcia, European External Action Service

Join us for a walking tour of Ljubljana, followed by drinks and informal exchanges – a relaxed way to explore the city and connect with fellow participants.

This session will present the latest AI tools developed to support journalists, fact-checkers and civil society in identifying and analysing disinformation across various formats. Participants will learn how solutions like vera.ai enhance open-source verification workflows, and how AI is integrated into newsroom practices – from prompt training to narrative monitoring. Presenters will share real-world applications of these technologies, giving insights into how automation can reinforce and scale human-led investigations. The session will also introduce new tools for early detection of disinformation patterns, promoting a community-oriented approach to technology adoption.

With:
Kalina Bontcheva, University of Sheffield / veraAI
Stefan Voss, DPA

With platforms increasingly limiting API access and restricting public data—RIP CrowdTangle — many researchers are now placing their hopes in formal access-to-data mechanisms for vetted partners. But while these frameworks are still under design or negotiation, what’s already possible today? This session showcases concrete investigations, monitoring methods, and tools built on publicly available data. Members of the counter-disinformation community will share how they continue to uncover influence operations, track narratives, and audit platforms — despite the growing opacity. The session also asks: what public access infrastructure should be preserved, improved, or created to ensure a baseline of transparency?

With:
Sára Soľárová, KInIT

This session examines the “tipping point” where online influence turns into offline violence, and how disinformation contributes to radicalisation and public harm. The talk will highlight overlaps between disinformation and extremist activity, discuss cross-platform dynamics, and offer strategies, including the use of AI for detecting, measuring, and mitigating these threats.

With: 
Jennifer Woodard, Logically AI/Vice President, Artificial Intelligence 

This session explores Russia’s shifting information landscape – from the global reach of AI-powered propaganda, the new arms race in cognitive warfare domain and the asymmetric nature of the cognitive war, lessons learned from reverse-engineering AI-powered troll farms, to the domestic influence of Telegram as a dominant news platform.

With:
Sviatoslav Hnizdovskiy, OpenMinds
Alesya Sokolova, Novaya Gazeta

In this session, we will explore methodologies and frameworks to investigate disinformation campaigns and their enablers. From AI to OSINT, from algorithms to ad libraries, learn from some of the best members of the community.

 
With:
Christo Buschek, Spiegel and Mozilla Senior Fellow

Every week, the counter-disinformation community documents new elements indicating that regulations are not adequately enforced. Yet, it seems very little action comes from these reports. In this session, we will explore how we can improve the quality of our findings, so they can serve as evidence for future enforcement mechanisms.

With:
Nowmay Opalinsy, Cassini 
Shivika Sharma, Check First

A timely exploration of the latest challenges and emerging threats in the disinformation landscape. This session covers a range of topics highlighting the evolving nature of disinformation and its impact on trust and society.

With:
Aleksandra Atanasova, Reset Tech
Representative from Prompt/Wikipedia

Chaired by:
Domen Savic, Citizen D 

In this session, we will learn from a Syrian fact-checking organisation, an Israeli journalist and activists how false narratives proliferate in the region—and how journalists and civil society actors are pushing back. 

With:
Ahmad Primo, Verify.sy
Omer Benjakob, Haaretz 
Representative from Free Humanitarians

This session looks at how shared frameworks and cross-sector collaboration can move the fight against disinformation from theory to practice. It will explore how efforts like the DISARM framework are being operationalised – for example, through automated tagging of tactics and techniques – and what it means to measure the real impact of influence campaigns. 

With:
Colin Gérard, VIGINUM
Victoria Smith, DISARM/CASM 
Representative from Filigran

Once upon a time, quality journalism was sustained through the sale of newspapers, subscriptions, and advertising revenue. Today, the landscape is dominated by metrics, virality, and engagement hacks. Without indulging in nostalgia for a mythologised "Golden Age" of media, this session asks: how did our information ecosystem become addicted to clickbait? What economic and structural forces are at play? And more importantly, what concrete steps can we take to break this vicious cycle and reimagine sustainable models for funding trustworthy media?

With:
Claire Atkin, Check My Ads
Representative from Shibsted (tbc)

Chaired by:
Joe McNamee, EU DisinfoLab

Not all influence comes wrapped in hashtags, headlines and viral campaigns. This session shines a light on the quiet, creative, and often overlooked tactics of foreign interference, from low-tech persuasion to the strategic use of culture, identity and historic memory. It highlights emerging global alliances that defy traditional East-West binaries and challenge how we understand power, identity, and manipulation in today’s information wars.

With: 
Alden Wahlstrom, Mandiant/ Google Threat Intelligence Group.
Jakub Śliż, Pravda/President
Kayla Bassett, Center for the Study of Organized Hate/Extremism and Disinformation Analyst

This session exposes how disinformation is fought across South and Southeast Asia: Dismislab reveals a bot network manipulating Bangladesh’s election discourse; a Philippine media outlet engages youth through fact-checks with top creators; and a Sri Lankan journalist shares local strategies for detecting and combating disinformation.

With:
Miraj Ahmed Chowdhury, Digitally Right
Jen Aquino, Probe
 

Chaired by:
Nighat Dad, OSB 

This session will explore how different actors (cities, civil society, researchers and institutions) are not only responding to disinformation but actively shaping more resilient information ecosystems. From local governments pushing back against climate disinformation, to researchers unpacking the links between doomerism and democratic fragility, the discussion will highlight strategies that look beyond crisis response toward long-term preparedness. We will also consider how thinking about the future of governance and civic trust can help anticipate emerging threats and build adaptive and informed societies. The session will bring together diverse voices focused on countering today’s narratives while laying the groundwork for tomorrow’s resilience.

With:
Representative from C40 
Ravi Shankar Sreenath, Ripple research 
Virginia Mahieu, Center for Future Generation 

Disinformation may be evolving, but we are far from powerless. This session focuses on strategies to build societal resilience before, during, and after exposure to false narratives, coordinated campaigns, manipulative content, and influence operations. From "prebunking" and media literacy to rapid response mechanisms and community-led interventions, we’ll explore how individuals, institutions, and technologies can inoculate the public against manipulation. Hear from fact-checkers working across sectors to counter deception at scale. 

With:
Lorenzo Marini, Verificat
Tori Zopf, European Fact-Checking Standard Network

Chaired by:
Borut Mekina, Slovenian journalist (tbc)

We’ll wrap up with shared takeaways, reflections, and a look ahead at what’s next.