The Project
Based on the concept of Foreign Information Manipulation & Interference (FIMI) as elaborated by the EU EEAS, the purpose of ADAC.io is to protect democracy in the EU by strengthening the ability to deny the intended effects of FIMI on society.
ADAC.io aims to significantly develop upon current knowledge of how FIMI can be detected, categorised, analysed, shared, and countered.
This will be achieved through a series of coordinated contributions to the DISARM Framework, the NATO-Hybrid COE Attribution Framework, STIX 2.1, OpenCTI, ABCDE, and the FIMI countermeasures toolbox.
This approach acknowledges the importance of TTPs and common data handling standards to the ability to attribute FIMI actors and further positions TTPs within the broader analytical processes that are necessary to develop countermeasures.
In addition to establishing improved technical standards and operating procedures, ADAC.io will generate research knowledge that can support better decision-making about FIMI countermeasures.
For example, the project will conduct research on the public impact of attribution, research methods for linguistic and visual analysis, develop an understanding of how cross-platform manipulation evades traditional analysis methods, as well as establish a dataset of previous FIMI interventions.
ADAC.io includes a specific component on gendered disinformation designed to better integrate gender into the technical formats.
Finally, the project will work closely with a community of practice that includes the EU EEAS, representatives of member states, civil society, and journalists/European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO).
Publications
ADAC.io partners and collaborations will be sharing public publications on how FIMI can be detected, categorised, analysed, shared, and countered. View these publications here:
A Comprehensive Review of DISARM Framework and its Compatibility with Related Frameworks Used to Model Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference
The DISARM Framework, supported by the EU-funded ADAC.io project, is a tool for identifying and mitigating Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI). This review assesses its effectiveness, with input from user feedback, and evaluates its compatibility with frameworks like ABCDE and STIX to ensure its relevance for diverse stakeholders.
Interview with Victoria Smith, Chief Strategist at the DISARM Foundation
In view of an upcoming ADAC.io Publication that reviews DISARM and its compatibility with related frameworks, co-author of the publication and DISARM Foundation’s Chief Strategist, Victoria Smith, answered questions about how DISARM’s wide user base and commitment to interoperability are key to addressing these challenges effectively.
Technocratic enforcers and the green tyranny: Strategic manipulation in the context of the 2024 European elections
Information manipulation goes beyond plain disinformation. Fuelling existing grievances and exploiting fission points in target publics, manipulative actors seek to erode sociopolitical consensus and damage trust in political institutions. In this first ADAC.io case study, Timo Lenk (TU Dortmund University) illustrates how these behaviours affected the 2024 European elections.
Updates
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Partners
The Institute of Journalism at TU Dortmund University. Coordinating institution for GADMO, the German-Austrian hub of EDMO.
University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Poland. Member of Central European Digital Media Observatory (CEDMO).
Debunk.org is an independent technology think tank and non-governmental organisation that researches disinformation.
Alliance4Europe is a pro-democracy NGO that specialises in countering disinformation and building communities.
Psychological Defence Research Institute at Lund University.
Security, Crime, and Intelligence Innovation Institute at Cardiff University.
The Hague Program for Cyber Norms at Leiden University