The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament is happy to invite you to the webinar "From pandemic to infodemic: countering disinformation amid COVID-19", on Thursday 4 June from 10.00 to 12.30.

The COVID-19 has caused unprecedented levels of health concerns across the globe and has led to a parallel pandemic of disinformation that directly impacts lives and livelihoods around the world.

Manipulative actors of all types have capitalized on this global health crisis, mobilizing with the goal of spreading fear and panic across social media, tapping into every possible facet of social and economic narratives. Significant ongoing campaigns range from healthcare and religious beliefs to economic impacts, xenophobia and scare tactics.

COVID-19 falsehoods and misinformation have proven deadly and sowed confusion about life-saving personal and policy choices.

Ahead of the presentation of the European Commission Communication on Disinformation in the context of COVID-19, an in-depth public and political discussion at European level about disinformation, as well as a proper European strategy is needed.

Join the webinar and ask your questions via the Q&A chat function here: https://re.livecasts.eu/disinformation-in-times-of-covid19

Programme

10H00: Introduction by MEP Maite Pagazaurtundúa

10H05: Keynote speech by Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency

10H25 - 11H05: Panel n°1 - Has COVID19 also brought an infodemic crisis? Moderated by MEP Nathalie Loiseau

Javier Lesaca, Expert on disinformation, audio-visual framing and social media. Columbia University, Disinformation and malicious content in times of COVID19

• Jose Miguel Cansado, Partner, Global Accounts & Consulting at Alto Data Analytics, Health related social network disinformation.
• Rudy Reichstadt, founder of Conspiracy Watch, Challenging COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories
• Patrick Penninckx, Council of Europe, Disinformation, a fundamental rights perspective

Q&A session

11H05 - 11H45: Panel n°2 - What responses to the disinformation crisis?
Moderated by MEP Ondřej Kovařík 

Ana Brakus, journalist at Faktograf.hr, participating to the International Fact-Checking Network’s CoronaVirusFacts Alliance, Strengthening fact checking, collective knowledge

• Maximilian Schubert, President, EUROISPA, The role of internet service providers in the fight against disinformation
• Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck, Founder & CEO, Lie Detectors, Fostering education and media literacy to fight disinformation

Q&A session

11H45 - 12H25: Panel n°3 - How to impose costs on states conducting disinformation campaigns against the EU? Moderated by MEP Bart Groothuis

Jakub Kalenský, Atlantic Council, DFRLab

• Patryk Pawlak, European Union Institute for Security Studies (UISS)
• Thomas Rid, Professor of strategic studies, John Hopkins University

Q&A session

12H25 - Conclusion by MEP Bart Groothuis