Our final FERMI webinar shed light on how disinformation impacts our daily lives - online and offline - and what we as citizens can do about it.
Key insights shared:
- Disinformation isn’t simply “false information online” - it’s a complex ecosystem of deliberately manipulated, misleading, and fabricated content that erodes trust in institutions, fuels polarisation, and can even incite real-world violence.
- Disinformation thrives in the credibility gap - the space between what citizens perceive as trustworthy and what institutions present as valid.
- Disinformation is a dynamic process, not just stable falsehoods – its credibility is co-created by multiple actors, and its effectiveness depends on cultural context.
- New technologies, like AI, amplify both risks and opportunities for countering disinformation.
What can citizens do?
- Strengthen media literacy: learn how narratives spread, evolve, and manipulate emotions.
- Support prebunking and awareness efforts before falsehoods take hold.
- Foster trust in democratic institutions by engaging critically but constructively.
- Recognise that simply labelling something as “disinformation” isn’t enough - dialogue, resilience, and informed scepticism are key.
The FERMI project has developed innovative tools to help law enforcement, but also policymakers and communities to recognise, anticipate and counter these threats - but resilience starts with all of us.
Conclusion: Disinformation affects us all, but with awareness, trust, and resilience, we can turn it into an opportunity for stronger societies.
Thank you to the inspiring Sofia TIPALDOU, whose thought-provoking insights made this webinar truly impactful, and to our own FERMI team member Aikaterini Beli for her valuable contribution.
Watch the recorded webinar:
Related training material: Closing the Credibility Gap - Mapping the Evolution of Disinformation and Digital Trust
The training material and webinar recordings are also available on the FERMI project website
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No. 101073980. Content reflects only the authors’ view and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
