Background

Digitalization brings with it significant new opportunities for societies to operate faster and wiser, but the rapid emergence and development of digital technologies doesn’t come without new challenges. One of those is the amount of and complexities related to information available to general publics and the effect this brings to societies.

Disinformation campaigns pose a significant threat to democracies, particularly when it comes to affecting elections. Disinformation refers to false or misleading information spread deliberately with the intention to deceive or manipulate people. These campaigns can have several detrimental effects on the electoral process and the overall health of a democracy:

• Undermining Trust: Disinformation erodes trust in the democratic system. When people are exposed to a constant stream of false or misleading information, they may become skeptical of the electoral process, government institutions, and the media. This can lead to decreased confidence in the legitimacy of elections and government, which is essential for a well-functioning democracy.
• Polarization: Disinformation campaigns often exploit existing political and social divisions. They can intensify political polarization by spreading falsehoods that reinforce existing beliefs and further divide communities. This can make it difficult for citizens to engage in constructive political dialogue and compromise, essential components of democratic decision-making.
• Manipulating Voter Behavior: Disinformation campaigns aim to influence voter behavior. They can spread false information about candidates, their policies, or their opponents, leading voters to make decisions based on falsehoods rather than accurate information. This undermines the fundamental principle of informed voting in democracies.
• Suppressing Voter Turnout: Some disinformation campaigns target specific demographics with the intent of suppressing voter turnout. They may spread false information about the voting process, such as incorrect polling locations or dates, to discourage eligible voters from participating in elections.
• Foreign Interference: Foreign actors may use disinformation campaigns to interfere in the electoral processes of other countries. These actors may seek to promote candidates or policies that are favorable to their interests or simply aim to sow discord and confusion. Such interference can undermine the sovereignty of a nation’s electoral system.
• Eroding Media Credibility: Disinformation can undermine the credibility of legitimate news sources. When false information is frequently circulated alongside accurate reporting, it becomes challenging for the public to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources. This can weaken the media’s role as a check on government power and a source of factual information for voters.
• Electoral Outcomes: In some cases, disinformation campaigns can directly influence election outcomes. If false information goes unchallenged and has a significant impact on voter perceptions, it can sway the results in favor of a particular candidate or party.

Objective

The training will focus on familiarizing the audience with the fundamental concepts and challenges related to information disorder (including disinformation) and gives some essential know-how for end-user level as well. Building on the theory and first-hand experience, the training will also secondly focus on different top-level approaches for building resilience against disinformation while safeguarding the values and freedoms ingrained in democratic societies. As a challenge to all cybersecurity institutions across the world is crisis communication, training will secondly also familiarize the audience with the concepts of crisis communication and using them in the context of cyber crisis management.