Within the Digital Activism Program conducted by TechSoup and its partners in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) since 2018, a pivotal activity focusing on supporting Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in being more resilient to disinformation has been underway. TechSoup and the partners believe that to bring about change, we must first diagnose the needs of the organizations we support and analyze the current socio-political situation in the countries where we operate. This belief is central to shaping the foundation for all future project activities.
Change is an inherent feature of the disinformation landscape, significantly impacting the dynamic context within which CSOs operate. This requires us to be nimble in designing interventions that cater to the unique requirements of our audiences. The key to achieving this lies in the research and creation of Disinformation and Civil Society Mapping Reports, which have played an instrumental role in enhancing our understanding of the local civil society context and the nuanced characteristics of the disinformation landscape within the countries we and our Partners work in.
The Disinformation and Civil Society Mapping Reports have been instrumental in shedding light on disinformation trends, narratives, sources, and targets, along with the challenges faced by civil society. They also pinpoint the needs and gaps of civil society organizations (CSOs) in tackling disinformation and beyond.
Four Disinformation and Civil Society Regional Mapping Reports — focusing on the Western Balkans, Visegrad, Black Sea, and the Baltics — were developed. These regional reports present a comprehensive overview of the disinformation landscape in their respective regions. They also address the war in Ukraine and disinformation related to it, as well as the involvement of civil society organizations in supporting the country and the refugees.
The Disinformation and Civil Society Regional Mapping Reports were created as a common effort within the program by TechSoup’s partner organizations with support from Google.org, namely the NIOK Foundation (covering Hungary), Funky Citizens (covering Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova), Metamorphosis Foundation (covering North Macedonia, Serbia, and Kosovo), Civic Resilience Initiative – CRI (covering Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia), PDCS (covering Slovakia) and VIA Association/ Sdruzení VIA (covering Czech Republic).
Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, data-driven understanding of the disinformation landscape and the way it affects civil society organizations. These Disinformation and Civil Society Regional Mapping Reports serve as valuable tools, enabling organizations to adapt their strategies and collaborate effectively in the fight against disinformation.
You can find the report for North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo here.
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