Our guest is Siim Kumpas, Head of the Policy, Strategy and Global Priorities Group in the Strategic Communication Department of the European External Action Service (EEAS). Prior to joining the EEAS, Kumpas designed and implemented Estonia's approach to building resilience against information manipulation by foreign states. He is also a guest lecturer at the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences, where he lectures on strategic communication and psychological defence.

What is disinformation?

Disinformation is misleading or inaccurate information disseminated by individuals, organisations, and states with the intention of misleading or manipulating individuals and public opinion.

They are most effective in times of crisis, uncertainty, and general dissatisfaction because they operate at an emotional level and influence people's opinions and decisions. They aim to create confusion, anger, fear, damage the reputation of individuals, organisations or institutions and countries. The problem of the spread of false information is most pronounced in crisis situations, such as the new coronavirus pandemic.

All European institutions are warning us to expect a new wave of disinformation campaigns ahead of the upcoming European elections. All European institutions are warning us to expect a new wave of disinformation campaigns ahead of the upcoming European elections. This is one of the reasons why we want to make the public as aware as possible of the need to critically accept information and to check the reliability of sources nowadays.

Moderated by Zoran Potič.

You are invited to watch and listen.