ADMO Participates in Panel Discussion on Combating Disinformation Organized by Beta Croatia

The Coordinator of the Adria Digital Media Observatory (ADMO), Prof. Mato Brautović, participated as a panelist in the expert discussion “Combating Disinformation”, organized by Beta Croatia and hosted at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb.

Beta Croatia is an organization dedicated to promoting European values and fostering cooperation among young Europeans through educational and public engagement activities. The event brought together students, communication professionals, and members of the wider public to discuss the challenges of today’s information environment and effective responses to disinformation.

The panel focused on key issues related to defining disinformation and distinguishing it from legitimate political communication, the evolving European regulatory framework, the role of online platforms, and the sustainability of fact-checking models. Particular attention was given to the importance of media literacy as a long-term strategy for strengthening societal resilience to manipulation and misleading content.

Alongside Prof. Brautović, the panel featured Tomislav Horvat, Executive Director of the strategic communications agency Manjgura, providing a valuable combination of academic and practitioner perspectives on the relationship between persuasion, political messaging, and manipulation in contemporary communication environments.

During the discussion, Prof. Brautović presented insights and experiences from the ADMO project, emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation in Southeast Europe, where disinformation narratives frequently transcend national borders. He also highlighted ongoing challenges related to limited access to platform data and discussed regulatory developments introduced through the Digital Services Act (DSA).

ADMO’s participation in this panel forms part of its broader mission to raise public awareness, strengthen collaboration with academic institutions, and educate young audiences about recognizing and countering disinformation.