Moldova’s Fake News Fightback
Moldovans join forces against foreign information manipulation threatening the country's democratic path.
Also see
Romania’s Election Implications
Success of pro-European candidate could help stabilise the “fragile political landscape” in neighbouring Moldova.
Lessons Learned from Moldova’s Elections
Chisinau event hears that “disinformation reached unprecedented levels”.
New Centre to Tackle Disinformation in Moldova
IWPR launches one-stop shop for media and civil society to address Moldova’s hybrid threats.
Welcome to IWPR’s Frontline Update, your go-to source to hear from journalists and local voices at the front lines of conflict.
THE BIG PICTURE
As Russia continues its hybrid escalation amid the war in neighbouring Ukraine, Moldova faces a growing challenge of foreign information manipulation and interference.
The Independent Countering Disinformation Centre (ICDC) serves as a one-stop shop to help civil society and media build resilience against such malign operations that aim to derail Moldova from its democratic trajectory.
VOICES FROM THE FRONTLINE
"For the first time, we have a dedicated platform where independent voices across the country can coordinate efforts and push back against manipulation with facts, unity and purpose,” said ICDC coordinator Mariana Aricova. "It gives us the structure and space to coordinate our efforts and build lasting mechanisms that help society recognise and counter disinformation."
ICDC initiatives include community workshops on critical thinking, ethical journalism and video storytelling. Diverse trainings have included everything from fact-checking hackathons to equipping police officers with the digital tools to identify and combat fake news.
ICDC research has also informed recommendations to government surrounding legal safeguarding and media law reform, as well as providing insights into media literacy among Moldovan teens to feed into educational partnerships.
“Our guiding principle is clear,” said ICDC manager Octavian Cartera. “True informational resilience can only be achieved through unified, collective action - not fragmented, isolated efforts.
WHY IT MATTERS
Surveys show that most Moldovans support the country’s pro-EU path, yet intense information warfare - with campaigns largely fuelled and financed by Moscow – have consistently attempted to derail this.
Last year, Moldova’s pro-European president Maia Sandu won a second term and a referendum on EU accession succeeded. But the impact of malign influence operations was keenly felt, and a well-funded pro-Kremlin opposition is preparing for a fresh onslaught of manipulative narratives ahead of crucial parliamentary elections this September.
The ICDC, a locally driven initiative established with IWPR support in 2023, acts as a collaborative hub to coordinate a wide and multi-faceted fightback.
THE BOTTOM LINE
False narratives feed distrust and ultimately destabilise societies. Local journalists are at the front line of challenging fabricated stories, while educational establishments prepare young people to deal with an ever-evolving threat. Government legislation can safeguard freedoms; civil society builds resilience and protects the vulnerable.
Malign influence operations affect all communities, and the response must be coordinated and collaborative to be effective.
