Information Defence Alliance

Information Defence Alliance: Strategic communication and building societal resilience to disinformation

Diagnosis of the situation:

Our struggle for European democracy did not end in June; it has only just begun. As many countries in the global South begin their election cycles, and key European countries such as Moldova and Austria prepare to vote in the coming months, maintaining democratic momentum is more important than ever. In the current geopolitical landscape, many countries face serious threats from disinformation campaigns, especially as elections approach. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has intensified these threats, as both state and non-state actors seek to undermine democratic processes and sow discord in these countries. The rise of far-right groups, as evidenced by the recent elections to the European Parliament, echoed in national politics, as exemplified by France, further increases the vulnerability of these countries to disinformation. This pervasive issue poses a serious threat to the integrity of democratic institutions and the entire electoral process. The targeted countries typically exhibit low levels of media literacy, and a significant portion of their populations place a high degree of trust in online content. This makes them particularly vulnerable to manipulative narratives spread through social media and other digital platforms. The lack of coordinated mechanisms for disinformation analysis and strategic communication efforts compounds the problem, allowing false information to spread unchecked.

To address these challenges, the project will provide strategic communication and monitoring to ensure an informed electorate and robust democratic institutions. Key elements of our plans are as follows:

Monitoring and analysis:

  • Advanced tools and methodologies such as DISARM, ABCDE, NATO Stratcom Attribution Frameworks and state-of-the-art Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) approaches will be implemented to continuously monitor and analyze disinformation campaigns targeting these countries.
  • Common and standardized case summary templates, common social channels, and a common alert system will be developed to improve organizational efficiency.
  • Supporting and expanding the existing network of analysts, investigative journalists, communicators and researchers will facilitate real-time data sharing and coordinated responses among participating actors, enhancing the collective capacity to counter disinformation.

Strategic communications:

  • The development and implementation of comprehensive strategic communication plans is critical to countering disinformation narratives. This includes creating and disseminating fact-based and educational content through a variety of media channels to reach a wide audience.
  • Working with local media, influencers and civil society organizations will reinforce accurate information, fostering a more informed public discourse.

Capacity building and training:

  • Conducting training sessions and workshops for journalists, analysts and civil society organizations will enhance their skills in identifying, analyzing and countering disinformation. This will build local capacity and create a sustainable framework for combating disinformation.
  • Providing resources and support for the development of media literacy programs to educate the public on how to identify and counter disinformation will enable citizens to critically assess the information they encounter.

Cooperation and coordination:

  • Fostering cooperation between local and international partners will enable the sharing of best practices, tools and strategies to combat disinformation. This collaborative approach will strengthen the overall effectiveness of the project.

The Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2025 presents a unique opportunity to position the project as a leading initiative in the fight against disinformation. Poland’s role can be used to guide and support other countries in protecting their democratic processes, highlighting Poland’s commitment to democratic resilience and serving as a model for emerging democracies.

To meet these needs, the project aims to mitigate the risks of disinformation and enhance the integrity of electoral processes in target countries. Coordinated efforts in monitoring, strategic communication, capacity building and cooperation will not only protect electoral integrity, but also inspire and support other democracies in their efforts to combat disinformation. The project will ultimately contribute to strengthening democratic institutions and promoting fact-based public discourse across Europe, with Poland at the forefront.

Name of the task: Information Defence Alliance

Project financed from the state budget under the competition of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland “Public Diplomacy 2024–2025 – the European dimension and counteracting disinformation”

Amount of funding: 473 900 PLN

Brief description of the task: The Information Defence Alliance project aimed to monitor and mitigate influence operations targeting France, Italy, Germany, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, and the Belarusian diaspora.

To do this, the project had three pillars:
1. researching influence operations,
2. inviting organisations and researchers from these countries to the CDN,
3. providing trainings to organisations to increase their capacity and share a common language.