Gendered disinformation and online violence are pervasive issues across Europe, impacting women, marginalized groups, and political activists. These tactics are used to silence, discredit, and foster discrimination, exploiting social norms and stereotypes to undermine rights and fuel division. The problem is compounded by anonymity on digital platforms and coordinated campaigns, making it difficult to combat. Addressing these challenges is crucial for protecting democratic values, ensuring equal participation in public life, and safeguarding personal identity and rights in the digital age.

At the Decoding Gender Disinformation and Addressing Online Violence panel, CSD’s Kristina Tsabala, explored how Kremlin-driven narratives target Ukrainian female refugees in Bulgaria, fueling stereotypes and desensitizing the public. Kate Llewellyn, from Artemis Alliance, highlighted the growing problem of Gender and Identity Disinformation (GID) in Armenia, detailing how false narratives aimed at marginalized groups, especially women, exploit social norms to undermine their rights and encourage discrimination. IREX’s Teona Dalakishvili brought attention to the rise of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) in Georgia, particularly how pro-government trolls are using anonymity to target women in politics and public life, while also stressing the importance of creating safe spaces for survivors. Anna Arevadze from ForSet, revealed that female content creators in Georgia, particularly those engaged in political discourse, are being increasingly subjected to TFGBV, often without understanding the term itself, but recognizing its destructive impact. Eliza Kotowska, a project manager from Instytut Kościuszki, analyzed gendered disinformation in Poland’s 2023 elections, where women candidates faced personal attacks, while male politicians were critiqued politically. Boyan Zahariev, the programme director of Open Society Institute, explored the persistence of anti-LGBT+ rhetoric in the Balkans, where shifting norms are encroaching on civic space and deepening divides across private, public, and educational spaces. The discussion was moderated by Gloria Trifonova, analyst, Center for the Study of Democracy.