In the context of the growing digitalization of public and political life, the online space is becoming an increasingly intense environment for the spread of disinformation, hate speech, and cyberviolence targeting women - particularly those in media, politics, and civil society. Against this backdrop, on 20 June 2025, the Center for the Study of Democracy organized the conference Foreign Influence and Vulnerability: Gender-Based Disinformation and Cyberviolence in Bulgaria. The event brought together experts, institutional representatives, and civil society organizations to discuss digital threats against women in the public sphere, misogynistic content and its impact on young men, and possible institutional responses and preventive measures.
The conference was opened by Rositsa Dzekova, Director of the Democracy Shield Task Force, who emphasized that disinformation is not merely a personal attack, but a tool for silencing women. Member of Parliament Denitsa Simeonova called for the establishment of a national body to counter disinformation and for improved implementation of EU legislation. In the first panel, Gloria Trifonova and Elizaveta Polyakova presented a study on gender and identity-based disinformation in online media, YouTube, and Telegram between 2023 and 2025. Antoaneta Vassileva from the National Center for Safer Internet highlighted the high levels of online violence affecting children - particularly youth between the ages of 10 and 14 - and stressed the need for digital literacy and greater parental involvement. Gergana Tsvetkova from the Institute for Counterintuitive Ideas focused on cyberviolence in the context of domestic abuse and the lack of reliable data.
The second panel, moderated by Iliana Boycheva, focused on institutional responses to gender-based disinformation and cyberviolence. Participants highlighted the importance of EU law, particularly the new directive on combating violence against women, which sets minimum standards for criminalizing acts such as non-consensual sharing of intimate materials, cyberstalking, and online harassment. Representatives of the Ministry of Justice, Elena Doycheva and Lyubomir Talev, presented recent legislative amendments and the work of expert groups aimed at aligning the national framework. Petar Galev from the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria outlined the potential of the Digital Services Act in managing systemic risks and safeguarding fundamental rights online. Dilyana Kirkovska from the Council for Electronic Media pointed out the challenges in sanctioning sexist content in traditional media, especially when it is disguised as humor or political expression.
The conference highlighted the urgent need for clear definitions, institutional mandates, and more effective tools for monitoring and sanctions. Participants agreed on the necessity of a systemic approach to tackling gender-based disinformation and cyberviolence, along with improved protection for vulnerable groups in the digital environment.
