New Centre to Tackle Disinformation in Moldova

IWPR’s newly-opened Independent Countering Disinformation Centre (ICDC) in Moldova’s capital Chisinau will provide a key resource for independent media and civil society to identify and tackle foreign interference and malign influence.

“The ICDC is an important step forward in addressing the hybrid threats Moldova faces and protecting [the country’s] national security,” British Ambassador to Moldova Steven Fisher told the launch event on September 27. “The threat from disinformation continues to adapt and evolve to the defences that you try to build [and] the Centre needs to be at the forefront of tracking those developments and coming up with effective tactics and strategies to respond.”

A locally driven initiative, the ICDC is designed to help efforts to identify and navigate attempts to influence citizens against their democratic interests, supporting organisations shape the information environment and build public defences to manipulation.

Located in the premises of Mediacor, Moldova State University’s creative media technology hub, the ICDC will bring together civil society actors, independent media and educational institutions to help build long-term resilience to information threats. Its work will complement the efforts of the government’s Centre for Strategic Communications and Countering Disinformation.

“While there are many actors engaged in countering disinformation in Moldova, there is a lack of coordination and collaboration, which risks hindering their efforts,” said Merdijana Sadovic, manager of IWPR’s Countering Disinformation in Moldova project. “The ICDC will serve as a physical and digital hub for counter disinformation activities in the country, a one stop-shop for all research related to disinformation in Moldova, and a place where media, civil society and relevant stakeholders can gather to discuss best approaches to disinformation.”

The launch was marked by a panel discussion to present IWPR's formative research on disinformation and audience preferences. Conducted by independent researcher David Jodrell, the research sheds light on critical issues surrounding media consumption and disinformation in the country. It explores strategies for effectively engaging target audiences through preferred media platforms as well as the crucial transition from strategy to content production.

The discussion served as a platform for fostering critical discussions and informed actions in the lead-up to the local elections of November 5, 2023.

"There is nowhere where disinformation in its various forms isn't a threat."

Roman Shutov, strategic advisor at the International Media Support (IMS) non-profit organisation, underscored audience-centric strategies as key in addressing disinformation challenges and building resilience.

Eugen Muravschi, associate expert on monitoring and fighting disinformation with Moldova’s WatchDog NGO, delved into the dynamics of anti-EU narratives and the impact of the messages on the electorate. Beka Bajelidze, IWPR South Caucasus and Moldova director, underlined the strenuous fight over audience reach and how strategic and tactical political and sociological propaganda can serve external malign actors.

IWPR's Eurasia editor Monica Ellena highlighted the alarming rise of gendered disinformation and the detrimental effects that false or manipulated information and misogynistic narratives have on women in politics and journalism.

The ICDC launch was complemented by a series of seminars focusing on various forms of disinformation, including gendered, and targeting a range of audiences. Journalist and media trainer Nick Raistrick held workshops with teachers, lecturers, and education managers in Chișinău, Cahul and Bălți around IWPR’s Disinformation Handbook.

“Fact-checking should be a subject for everyone, everywhere. There is nowhere where disinformation in its various forms isn't a threat, and educators are on the front line and have a huge role to play,” said Raistrick. “Moldova can feel particularly vulnerable to conflict disinformation, and the fact that the need for accurate information is being taken seriously and is being taught in schools, colleges, and universities puts a few other countries with bigger education budgets to shame.”

The events were part of IWPR's ongoing Countering Disinformation Moldova project, supported by the United Kingdom's Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).