ADMO 2.0 to strengthen resilience against disinformation in the Adriatic region
Published Thursday 18 September 2025 at 08:28
The Adria Digital Media Observatory (ADMO) entered a new phase on September 1, 2025, with the launch of ADMO 2.0, a cross-border initiative dedicated to tackling the growing challenge of disinformation in the Adriatic region. Led by the University of Dubrovnik (UNIDU), the consortium unites nine partners from Croatia, Slovenia, and France: the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Zagreb, Gong, RTL Croatia, Presscut d.o.o., the University of Ljubljana, Oštro Slovenia, Agence France-Presse (AFP), and XWiki. By strengthening collaboration among these partners, ADMO 2.0 seeks to enhance media literacy, counter harmful disinformation narratives, and foster a more resilient, democratic, and well-informed public sphere.
Building on the foundation of its first phase, ADMO 2.0 brings together academic researchers, fact-checkers, journalists, media, and civil society professionals in a unique multidisciplinary hub. Over the next two and a half years, the hub will expand its activities through three pillars: research, fact-checking, and media literacy. Among its main priorities, ADMO 2.0 will:
- Monitor and analyze disinformation trends in the region through evidence-based research.
- Detect and dismantle harmful online content through fact-checking articles
- Empower citizens to critically assess media content and resist manipulation through media literacy and technological solutions
- Monitor and report on the implementation of EU regulatory and policy frameworks in Croatia and Slovenia.
- Deepen cooperation with the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) and other hubs across Europe.
“When we launched ADMO in 2023, we set ourselves an ambitious but urgently needed goal: to create a regional center that would monitor, analyze, and counter disinformation in Croatia and Slovenia, while being firmly rooted in the European EDMO network. We have built something lasting, valuable, and truly significant - not only for our institutions, but also for the democracy we live in. ADMO 2.0 ensures that our mission not only continues, but grows in impact,” said Professor Mato Brautović, PhD, Lead Coordinator from University of Dubrovnik.
The University of Ljubljana joins as a new partner, bringing expertise in disinformation research, journalism studies, and media analysis. “Edmund Burke once said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” In the age of disinformation and attempts to manipulate our societies and ruin our democracies, we should not and will not be quiet. The role of universities is to protect and promote knowledge, trustworthy information, and research, and verify claims and data. Thus, the University of Ljubljana is proud to participate in such a relevant project as ADMO 2.0. We hope we'll contribute to the research and disclosure of the extent and nature of disinformation in the Adriatic region,” said Professor Marko Milosavljević, PhD, the head of the project at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana.
Professor Marko Milosavljević
Oštro Slovenia and AFP continue with fact-checking activities, introducing new formats of publication through special video fact-checks and longer pre-bunking articles. “In today’s digital world, where disinformation spreads faster than ever before, media literacy has become a necessity. That’s why ADMO’s mission to nurture a cross-border culture of critical thinking and informed civic engagement is more vital than ever,” said Nina Rozman, deputy editor of Razkrinkavanje.si.
Nina Rozman, deputy editor of Razkrinkavanje.si
Pierre Ausseill, AFP’s Europe director, emphasized, “We at AFP are particularly happy to continue the work setup within this project. Addressing a large audience with articles debunking misinformation, fake news, and supporting media literacy actions in the Adriatic regions is crucial to us.”
Pierre Ausseill, AFP’s Europe director
Media literacy is indispensable to a resilient democratic society, and a think-tank, Gong, will focus on advancing this goal in collaboration with other partners. “Media literacy education helps citizens understand the messages they receive. We encourage citizens to question and critically examine digital content, and to understand the technological changes that shape our reality. Gong, as a part of the civil society, continues to provide citizens with practical information, to engage and involve them in creating positive social change,” says Milica Bogdanović, media literacy expert.
Milica Bogdanović
Media monitoring company Presscut d.o.o. continues to develop VerifAI, an AI/NLP-based platform for real-time verification for citizens. “ADMO 2.0 plays a key role in bringing together researchers, newsrooms, and civil society to detect harmful narratives and deliver practical media literacy programs. This coordination matters because it reduces duplication, speeds up detection across languages, and turns best practices into impact," highlights Jasmina Garaj Golubiček, CEO of Presscut.
Jasmina Garaj Golubiček, CEO of Presscut
XWiki provides open-source technical support to ensure accessibility of project outputs. “As a European company headquartered in France with a multicultural team, XWiki is proud to contribute to the second phase of the ADMO project, a key milestone for the media sphere in Croatia and Slovenia. This portal showcases the work of journalists, researchers, and media literacy producers,” added Ludovic Dubost, Founder and CEO.
Ludovic Dubost, XWiki
ADMO 2.0 is co-financed by the European Commission through the Digital Europe Programme. The project continues to support regional and multisectoral cooperation to build a strong and resilient society amid information disorder.
