Disinformation is a key instrument in the Kremlin’s toolbox of hybrid treats. The manipulation of information flows resulting from media and cognitive capture instils insecurity, breeds social polarisation, and undermines trust in institutions and democratic processes. Taken together, these dynamics increase the susceptibility of government systems to external threats and malign influence.
On 3-4 December 2024, the Center for the Study of Democracy held an interdisciplinary workshop which focused on the process of safeguarding public dialogue from malign interference. The workshop featured panel discussions and interactive sessions, during which participants examined local vulnerabilities that foreign authoritarian actors exploit to manipulate public perceptions; ongoing efforts across government, business, and civil society sectors to increase societal sensitivity to foreign interference and build resilience against its manifestations; and techniques for developing and implementing effective strategic communication solutions for public engagement.
Goran Georgiev of the Center for the Study of Democracy highlighted the need for a two-tiered approach to countering foreign information manipulation which should combine both measures to restrict the spread of disinformation and efforts to improve the media landscape and strengthen the capabilities of public and private sectors to detect and respond to such threats. Georgi Georgi of the Information Center of the Ministry of Defence, discussed the national security implications of disinformation campaigns with relation to the Bulgarian army. Vasil Velichkov of Sensika Technologies underlined the ease with which disinformation could spread on social media noting that authoritarian actors such as Russia, China, and Iran increasingly used shared online infrastructure to disseminate manipulated content. Dr. Ralitsa Kovacheva of Sofia University discussed the narrative of bioweapon laboratories in Ukraine to illustrate how Russia leveraged conspiracy theories to establish an ecosystem of lies and sow distrust. Todor Kiriakov of A Data Pro described the main local online media sources that facilitated the spread of this narrative in the Bulgarian information space.
Richard Chalk of REOC Communications described the “new normal” characterized by social and political polarization that is exacerbated by the use of information as a weapon. He introduced a holistic approach for strategic communication to overcome the “us vs. them” dichotomy and reinforce public engagement. Mr. Chalk outlined a model for identifying communication solutions grounded in principles that different groups shared and agreed upon. He stressed the importance of unifying strategic narratives and the need for effective communication architecture and tailored instruments to ensure impactful outreach. During the workshop, participants engaged in a practical discussion-based session which explored the design of communication solutions to address specific disinformation threats. The outcomes of this session yielded insights into the implementation of strategic communications to enhance institutional resilience against information manipulation.
Dr. Jacob Udo-Udo Jacob of the Center for Information, Democracy and Citizenship presented a set of guiding principles for communication and their practical implications for the development of effective campaigns. Dr Nikola Tulechki of Ontotext reviewed key features of a whole-of-society approach to promoting information integrity. Dr Todor Galev of the Center for the Study of Democracy discussed the elements of an institutional framework for countering foreign information manipulation in Bulgaria and the progress made so far in strengthening respective capabilities across public and private sectors. Vladimir Milenski of the Atlantic Council made practical recommendations on the integration of strategic communication with the duties of Bulgarian civil servants as a critical step to enhancing institutional resilience and boosting local defences against the effects of cognitive warfare.
