The Centre for Democratic Transition (CDT) and the fact-checking platform Raskrinkavanje are part of a project by a coalition comprising more than 40 fact-checking organizations across Europe, which will monitor disinformation about the European Parliament elections.
These organizations, gathered around the European Fact-Checking Network (EFCSN), are joining hands with Google to create a database of fact-checking articles, political fact-checking articles, and analyses of disinformation trends across Europe, with a special focus on fact-checking and claims related to this year’s European elections.
Users will be able to search the database by language, individual countries, political parties, and thematic areas such as climate change, security and defense, health, and the like. This project aims to ensure intergovernmental cooperation and establish the database of articles as a resource for European citizens who will cast their votes in June. Additionally, statistics on disinformation trends during the elections will be available to various organizations, which can input their data, as well as to researchers who can obtain the data upon request.
The Chair of EFCSN, Carlos Hernández-Echevarría, said that the “Elections24Check” project will build an early detection system for online disinformation across the continent. “Fact-checking organizations participating in the project will monitor not only the EU but also the broader community of neighboring European countries. This is particularly important because disinformation transcends borders,” Hernández-Echevarría said.
Anette Kober-Riel, Vice President of Google’s Government Affairs and Public Policy Department, added that the company is proud to support the work of fact-checking organizations across Europe at a crucial moment. “Because election-related disinformation can cross borders and undermine democratic processes. This initiative by EFCS and its more than 40 members will provide support for quality information for voters and pave the way for similar coalitions in the future,” she said.
Organizations participating in the project have pledged to work transparently and impartially, upholding journalistic excellence standards, with a special focus on the public interest, by accepting EFCSN’s Code of Standards.
The database, which European fact-checking editing boards, including Raskrinkavanje, will fill daily, is planned to serve as a valuable resource for journalists and citizens alike, offering beneficial and fact-checked content.
Raskrinkavanje calls on all stakeholders in the public arena to report all posts on social media and in the media that they suspect contain disinformation and false narratives related to the European elections.
The article database, on which more than 40 fact-checking platforms are working, is available here.
Darvin Muric, Editor-in-Chief of Raskrinkavanje