6 December

DisinfoCon

DisinfoCon by DRI brings together renowned international experts on disinformation to discuss today’s most pressing disinformation challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s. This hybrid event investigates the new frontier of disinformation – and its potential impact to democracy.

Programme

6 December 2022

Berlin, Spreespeicher, Stralauer Allee 2

09:00

Welcome Coffee

09:30

Opening Remarks

Welcoming you to DisinfoCon and digital democracy topics,

 

  • · Peter Ptassek, German Federal Foreign Office
  • · Heather Dannyelle Thompson, Democracy Reporting International
  • · Michael Meyer-Resende, Democracy Reporting International

Watch online streaming

09:45

Interview with Lutz Güllner, European External Action Service

Head of Division, Strategic Communication, Task Force and Information Analysis

Watch online streaming

09:55

Local Disinformation: New Narratives, Effective Counter Strategies?

New disinformation narratives often combine established tactics with localised grievances. Appropriate and effective responses are therefore context dependent. In this session, experts discuss new tactics and tools in different country contexts, and what can be done about it locally, regionally and internationally.

 

Speakers:

  • · Odanga Madung, Independent Data Journalist & Entrepreneur
  • · Wafaa Heikal, Social Media Analyst at Democracy Reporting International
  • · Thiago Rondon, Digital Coordinator for Combating Disinformation, Brazilian Superior Electoral Court
  • · Moderated by Beatriz Almeida-Saab, Democracy Reporting International

Watch online streaming

11:00

Coffee Break and Networking

11:45

Disinfo Radar: Disinformation Tools, Tactics and Narratives

Disinfo Radar examines three core pillars of disinformation: Emerging technological tools used to produce disinformation; new tactics for propagating manipulated content; and those untold stories harnessing these tools and tactics to frame false narratives.

 

Presented by Democracy Reporting International:

  • · Jan Nicola Beyer, Research Coordinator
  • · Lena-Maria Boswald, Programme Officer
  • · Beatriz Almeida Saab, Research Associate

Watch online streaming

12:15

The Big “R”: Regulation and Emerging Technologies in a Global Disinformation Ecosystem

It’s finally happening. After years of discussions, the landmark Digital Services Act has entered into force. But how effective will it be in countering disinformation trends in the EU, including the emerging threats of deepfakes and synthetic media? In this panel, we invite experts to weigh in on what the DSA for the fight against disinformation.

 

Speakers:

  • · Marta Peirano, Independent journalist specializing in technology and power
  • · Rita Jonušaitė, Advocacy Coordinator for EUDisinfoLab 
  • · Dr. Guido Brinkel, Head of Regulatory Policy, Microsoft
  • · Moderated by Heather Dannyelle Thompson, Democracy Reporting International

Watch online streaming

13:00

Lunch

14:30

Fighting against Mis/Disinformation: The Content Authenticity Initiative

Stefanie Valdes-Scott, EMEA Head of Policy and Government Relations at Adobe

Watch online streaming

14:50

What’s Next for AI Innovations?

What’s the state of AI-powered disinformation and what will technological changes do to society? Our last session dives into where the journey of AI innovations is heading and what transformations AI and digital technologies will bring to media and democracy.

 

Speakers:

  • · Alexandra Ebert, Chief Trust Officer, Mostly AI
  • · Claes de Vreese, Professor of AI and Society, University of Amsterdam
  • ·Prof. Dr. Sahana Udupa, Professor of Media Anthropology, University of Münich 
  • · Moderated by Lena-Maria Böswald, Democracy Reporting International

Watch online streaming

15:50

Coffee Break and Networking

16:30

Disinformation by A Global Tech Power: What to Expect from China?

Lecture by Ties Dams, Research Fellow at Clingendeal Institute

Watch online streaming

17:00

Concluding Remarks

Thank you for attending DisinfoCon

  • · Heather Dannyelle Thompson, Democracy Reporting International
  • · Michael Meyer-Resende, Democracy Reporting International

Watch online streaming

17:30 – 20:00

Happy Hour with Glühwein on the Spreespeicher Terrace

Speakers

Claudia van Veen

Claudia van Veen

Event Moderator

Claudia van Veen is a German TV anchor and event host and draws on a wealth of experience of over 15 years and hundreds of live moderations, nationally and internationally.

Peter Ptassek

Peter Ptassek

Director for Strategic Communication

German Federal Foreign Office

Lutz Güllner

Lutz Güllner

Head of Strategic Communications

European External Action Service

Lutz Güllner is the head of strategic communications at the European External Action Service (EEAS), where he focuses on disinformation, foreign information manipulation and interference.

Odanga Madung

Odanga Madung

Data Journalist and Mozilla Research Fellow

Independent

Odanga Madung is an independent data journalist and entrepreneur based in Nairobi. He is a Mozilla Fellow and pushed social media platforms to expose a flourishing disinformation industry in Kenya.

Wafaa Heikal

Wafaa Heikal

Social Media Analyst

Democracy Reporting International

Wafaa Heikal is a social media analyst with DRI. An Egyptian journalist whose work has covered the intersection of social media and human rights since the Arab Spring, her current focus is tackling online mis/disinformation on a regional and global level.

Thiago Rondon

Thiago Rondon

Digital Coordinator for Combating Disinformation

Brazilian Superior Electoral Court

Thiago Rondon is the Digital Coordinator of the Programme to Combat Disinformation, developed by the Superior Electoral Court to tackle disinformation during elections.

Rita Jonušaitė

Rita Jonušaitė

Advocacy Coordinator

EU DisinfoLab

Rita Jonušaitė works at EU DisinfoLab as Advocacy Coordinator. Previously Rita worked at the European Youth Forum as Policy and Advocacy Manager and prior to that at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.

Marta Peirano

Marta Peirano

Spanish Journalist and Researcher

Marta Peirano is a Spanish journalist and researcher whose work focuses on the relationship between technology and power. Her 2019 book “El enemigo conoce el sistema” (“The Enemy Knows the System”) details the rise and strategies of surveillance capitalism.

Dr. Guido Brinkel

Dr. Guido Brinkel

Head of Regulatory Policy

Microsoft Germany

Dr. Guido Brinkel is a lawyer and Head of Regulatory Policy at Microsoft Germany. His competency areas include government and public affairs, in addition to IT security, cybersecurity and telecoms regulation.

Stefanie Valdes-Scott

Stefanie Valdes-Scott

EMEA – Head of Policy and Government Relations

Adobe

Stefanie Valdés-Scott joined Adobe in April 2020. She has been Head of Policy and Government Relations in EMEA since September 2022. In this position, she is responsible for all contacts with politics and administration in the region and takes the lead in legislative processes that are relevant for Adobe.

Alexandra Ebert

Alexandra Ebert

Chief Trust Officer

Mostly AI

Alexandra Ebert is a Responsible AI, synthetic data & privacy expert and serves as Chief Trust Officer at MOSTLY AI. As a member of the company’s executive leadership team, she is engaged in public policy issues in the emerging field of synthetic data and Ethical AI.

Claes de Vreese

Claes de Vreese

Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Society

University of Amsterdam

Claes H. de Vreese is University Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Society, with a special focus on media and democracy at the University of Amsterdam. He holds the Chair in political communication at the Amsterdam School of Communication Research ASCoR.

Prof. Dr. Sahana Udupa

Prof. Dr. Sahana Udupa

Professor of Media Anthropology

Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich

Sahana Udupa teaches and researches online extreme speech, politics of artificial intelligence, critical digital studies, news and journalism, and media policy. She has founded the For Digital Dignity programme.

Ties Dams

Ties Dams

Research Fellow

Clingendael Institute

Ties Dams is a research fellow at the Clingendael Institute. His focus is on Europe’s great power competition. Educated as a political theorist in Utrecht, Xiamen, Hongkong and London, Ties has a particular interest in the power of narrative.