Together Against Disinformation: Awareness of the Threats in the Modern World

SLOVENIA, March 18 - Director of the Government Communication Office (UKOM), Petra Bezjak Cirman, introduced the campaign Stop Disinformation – READ, THINK, VERIFY, which, in collaboration with other government departments, implements various communication and promotional activities. The campaign actively educates the public about disinformation and how to recognize it.

A dedicated project page on disinformation has been established on the GOV.SI portal, along with official profiles on social media platforms X, Facebook, and Instagram, where simple recommendations are shared on how to identify and prevent the spread of disinformation. The thematic webpage also serves as an information anchor for media advertising.

To enhance public engagement, three well-known Slovenian personalities have been involved in the campaign: former top skier Tina Maze, renowned infectious disease specialist David Zupančič, and television host Ana Praznik. They shared their experiences with disinformation spread on social media, where their names and images were misused.

Several seminars and informative meetings have been organized for different audiences, including a panel discussion on disinformation at the Club of Venice communications conference, held in May 2024 at Brdo pri Kranju. In cooperation with the Centre for European Perspective (CEP), multiple seminars were conducted for media relations representatives on recognizing disinformation, foreign information manipulation, and interference (FIMI). The topic was also featured in two GOVSI government podcasts.

To promote active citizenship, regular visits of high school students to government institutions are organized, providing insights into the government's work and raising awareness about disinformation. Additionally, in collaboration with the Administrative Academy of the Ministry of Public Administration, an online training course on FIMI and disinformation has been developed for public officials, particularly aimed at teachers and other education sector employees. The initiative also supports the fact-checking service of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA), NE/JA, and the Myth Buster project.

As part of a cooperation with the East StratCom Task Force, which operates within the European External Action Service and manages content on EUvsDisinfo, a weekly translation of their newsletter is published. This newsletter provides an overview of the most prominent attempts at foreign information manipulation and interference within the European Union and its neighbouring regions.

Through numerous initiatives, we aim to reach as many residents of Slovenia as possible, contributing to the strengthening of democracy and security.