- Priority Area Boosting Fact-checking Activities in Europe
- Funding Round / Action Types 2nd Funding Round – Scale-up Projects
- Year 2022, 2023
- Country Czech Republic
- Project Status Completed
Our project “Czech Elections in the Era of Disinformation: The 2023 Presidential Election” aims to boost fact-checking activities in the Czech Republic in order to counter disinformation which is expected to be triggered by the Czech presidential elections planned for January 2023. To reach this goal, the Prague Security Studies Institute (PSSI) will join forces with the fact-checking capabilities of Demagog.cz and HlídacíPes.org. The consortium will be monitoring the Czech online space, including social media of official and potential presidential candidates, mainstream media and media known for spreading disinformation. In the Czech Republic, this media has a collaborative relationship with the national-conservative opposition and there is expected information exploitation especially of the topics of the energy crisis and immigration related to the war in Ukraine, as well as manipulation targeting the “pro-Wester, pro-democratic” candidates.
Demagog.cz and HlídacíPes.org will produce regular fact-checks of information related to the elections and the candidates in the form of short blog posts and related social media posts, aimed at the general public and relevant stakeholders. PSSI will provide monthly analytical reports aimed at state institutions, media and the expert community. The consortium will publish a big analytical report that will include the overall coverage of the elections, main narratives, approach and sentiments to individual candidates, the candidates’ reactions/counter-messaging, disinformation campaigns, main spreaders of the narratives/disinformation and their background, and a policy chapter with an overview of the government’s approach to countering elections-related disinformation in the recent years, as well as recommendations. A short analytical report will be published after the second round of the elections. We will also organize a public roundtable to present our findings to government institutions, media and the expert community.
