Fighting against disinformation

• Eligibility Criteria: Open to research institutions, public bodies, civil society organizations (CSOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), media organizations, educational institutions, security practitioners, and private sector actors. Media professionals, journalists, editors, and broadcasters. Fact-checkers and mediators. Cultural institutions (e.g., libraries). Entities under the Digital Services Act (DSA), European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), and Code of Practice on Disinformation. Collaboration with previous or ongoing Horizon-funded projects is encouraged. Proposals must involve non-academic actors and promote participatory, experimental, and interdisciplinary methodologies.
• Type of Funding: Media Support
• Target Region: Primarily focused on EU Member States and Associated Countries to Horizon Europe
• Application Language: English

Objectives

• Equip EU institutions, national decision-makers, civil society and practitioners with strategies to counter mis/disinformation while protecting freedom of expression.
• Understand stakeholders who oppose anti-disinformation efforts and the narratives they use.
• Clarify how digital media influences opinion and can be regulated without infringing on rights (freedom, privacy, data protection).
• Improve legal and strategic capacity of media, education, and security professionals to respond to hostile narratives.
• Understand the role of independent media and dissemination hubs in enabling access to credible content.
• Explore astroturfing and develop tools to recognize and counteract it.
• Develop educational material on how to counter disinformation while safeguarding freedoms.

Project Themes

Role of media systems and data-driven platforms in spreading disinformation (including gendered and anti-LGBTIQ disinformation).
Market incentives favoring sensationalism and misinformation.
Designing rights-based regulations to counter disinformation.
Development and use of trust indicators and journalism credibility tools.
Role of media dissemination hubs and professional mediators.
Legal safeguards to protect civic discourse (especially in contexts like hate speech, Holocaust denial).
Policy recommendations for managing online public discourse and strengthening democracy.
Encouraging pluralism, youth education, and media literacy in online spaces.

Financial Support:

Deadline: 16 September 2025

See here to learn more and apply.

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