Inside FACT Hub: Europe’s New Frontline Against Disinformation
How a new cross-border network is tracking and countering manipulation in Eastern Europe
We are pleased to announce the launch of Fighting Against Conspiracy and Trolls (FACT) — an independent, non-partisan hub dedicated to identifying, studying, and countering disinformation and anti-democratic activity in one of Europe’s most exposed regions: Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, and the Baltic States.
Launched in mid-2025 under the umbrella of the EU Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), FACT brings together investigative journalists, social media analysts, and political experts from across the region. Our mission is twofold:
Detection & Analysis: Using both expert-led investigations and novel AI tools, we track and dissect coordinated manipulation, whether Kremlin-orchestrated or emerging from other sources.
Resilience Building: Developing strategies — immediate and long-term — to strengthen public institutions, empower citizens, and equip the private sector to resist the erosion of democratic trust.
Our work is cross-border by design. FACT’s consortium includes Context.ro, Expert Forum (EFOR), Investigative Reporting Project Italy (IRPI), Kyiv Independent, RISE Moldova, Re:Baltica, and the Association for Technology and Internet (ApTI) — a network uniquely positioned to combine local expertise with regional insights.
Why Now
In 2025, Moldova faces critical elections under intense geopolitical pressure. FACT is dedicating immediate resources to monitoring narratives, tracking manipulation campaigns, and publishing timely, evidence-based updates to inform policymakers, journalists, and engaged citizens.
Why Subscribe
By subscribing, you gain direct access to:
Real-time briefings on disinformation trends in Eastern Europe
In-depth election monitoring reports, starting with Moldova 2025
Cross-border investigative findings and regional analysis
The challenges are complex — but so is our response. FACT is building a scalable, multilingual resource to strengthen Europe’s democratic resilience.
Subscribe now to follow our work from the start and stay ahead of emerging disinformation threats.
Latest investigation:
Expert Forum (EFOR) has identified a coordinated network of 17 TikTok accounts that have generated over 1 million views in the last seven days to promote parliamentary candidate Vasile Costiuc. The network shows clear signs of inauthentic behavior, with 993 “soldier” accounts systematically following the same political profiles. This is an example of how electoral systems are vulnerable to manipulation through political advertising disguised as social media content. In response, we must take systemic action to increase transparency and generate real countermeasures from large platforms.