Greece to get EU-funded anti-disinformation hub

The European Commission announced on Thursday the creation of six new anti-disinformation hubs, including one in Greece, as part of a wider effort to fight disinformation across Europe.

With the creation the new hubs, the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), an independent platform for fact-checkers, academic researchers and other relevant stakeholders, will expand its coverage to all 27 EU Member States as well as Norway.

Through the Digital Europe Program, the new hubs, which should be operational by the beginning of 2023, will be supported with about €8 million in EU funds.

Among the six new projects selected by a panel of independent experts was the Mediterranean Digital Media Observatory (MedDMO), which will cover Greece, Malta and Cyprus.

The Greek hub will be coordinated by the Thessaloniki-based Center for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH).

Each hub will contribute to the creation of a multidisciplinary community by pulling together academic researchers, independent fact-checkers, media practitioners and other relevant stakeholders, to create a network capable of detecting and analyzing disinformation campaigns, organizing media literacy activities at national or multinational level and other activities supporting the fight against disinformation.

“Ensuring transparency, raising awareness and fact-checking are among the most important tools we have in dispelling online disinformation. We are making sure this is done efficiently and that the results are available to every single European. We will continue to build on the expertise of the European Digital Media Observatory in the context of the Code of Practice on Disinformation. This will also strengthen the efforts to counter Russia war propaganda in every EU country and in all languages,” said Věra Jourová, Commission vice-president for values and transparency, said.

EDMO and its regional hubs are independent from any national or EU public authority.