On 29 May 2026, the Hungarian Digital Media Observatory (HDMO) organized its first pan-European workshop, with participation from other EDMO hubs. Planned as an online transfer knowledge workshop, the first edition took place in a hybrid format, hosted in Budapest by the French Institute during a series of events dedicated to Media literacy. ML experts from @CEDMOhub , @DEFACTO_UE, @GADMOeu, @IDMO_it, @Edmo_Belux, @BROD_EDMO and @nordishub joined online the 2 hour-meeting. From the HDMO side, colleagues from the Idea Foundation and @AFP presented Hungarian best practices in media literacy education. HDMO members took part to the meeting in person, joined by a representative from French national ML organisation @LeCLEMI . The main topic of the meeting was the transfer knowledge from HDMO ML partner the Idea Foundation. They showcased their efforts to build a Hungarian teacher community through their training programmes, as well as their successful initiatives involving students in the co-creation of educational materials on detekto.hu. The discussion provided a valuable opportunity for HDMO to learn from other hubs’ experiences and future plans in developing effective media literacy initiatives across Europe.

📣 Nos démocraties à l’épreuve de la désinformation : Dans le cadre de la Quinzaine de la lutte contre la désinformation, l’Ambassade de France en Hongrie et l’Institut français ont organisé la conférence « Regards croisés sur les campagnes électorales hongroise et française de 2026 » et la table ronde « L’ère de la confusion : doute et instrumentalisation de l’opinion publique » 👇 🇭🇺 La campagne électorale hongroise a constitué un véritable laboratoire : adaptation à l’interdiction de la publicité politique sur les plateformes, utilisation de l’IA et déferlante de contenus vidéos, amplification des narratifs via des réseaux de soutiens organisés mais aussi via des comportements inauthentiques, ingérence étrangère… Bulcsú Hunyadi, responsable des programmes de Political Capital, et Ágnes Urbán, directrice de Mérték Media Monitor, ont présenté leurs travaux sur cette campagne « post-réalité ». 🇫🇷 La France fait face depuis 2017 à des manœuvres étrangères de manipulation de l’information et s’est dotée pour s’en prémunir de VIGINUM, service qui détecte et combat ces ingérences numériques. Julian Merer, qui avait fait le déplacement depuis Paris, a expliqué comment VIGINUM se préparait aux échéances électorales françaises de 2027. 💡 Dans ce contexte, quel rôle pour les journalistes ? Modérés par Viktória Serdült, journaliste de HVG, les débats entre Ágnes Urbán, le journaliste indépendant Szabolcs Panyi, le journaliste et président du prix Albert-Londres Hervé Brusini, et le philosophe et maître de conférences à l'ENS-PSL Mathias Girel, ont permis de poursuivre la réflexion sur le rôle des médias, notamment publics, de la régulation des plateformes et de l’IA, ou encore de notre rapport à la vérité dans un monde saturé d’informations. 🙏 Un grand merci à tous les intervenants pour la qualité de ces discussions ! photographe ©Zsolt Ruszthi @Pol_Cap @MertekMonitor @HdmoHub @panyiszabolcs @hervebrusini @MathiasGIREL @viktoriaserdult

📍 Last Friday, the Embassy of France in Hungary and the French Institute hosted a conference, which explored the challenges facing the information environment, election campaigns, and democratic processes. As part of the HDMO project, Ágnes Urbán (@MertekMonitor) and Bulcsú Hunyadi (@Pol_Cap) presented their latest research findings on the Hungarian election campaign, while a representative of VIGINUM shared insights from the French perspective. The conference was followed by a roundtable discussion featuring Szabolcs Panyi, Hervé Brusini, Mathias Girel, and Ágnes Urbán, who discussed the transformation of the information space, the impact of artificial intelligence, as well as the challenges posed by disinformation and attempts to influence public opinion. The panel was moderated by Viktória Serdült (HVG). Many thanks to the organizers, speakers, and participants for this thought-provoking exchange.

#AI Political #Influencers: the New Gods of #Propaganda and #Disinformation? 👉 Read this week's edition of the EDMO Weekly Pulse: edmo.eu/publications/ai-poli… All our topics this week: → 𝗭𝗢𝗢𝗠-𝗜𝗡: 𝗔 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗗𝗠𝗢 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 🤖 How Synthetic Content Transforms Political #Communications 🇺🇸 Fear, Boos And Firebombs: AI Creates Growing Anger Among Americans 🇭🇺 @Meta Oversight Board Is Investigating AI Video Impersonating Péter #Magyar → 𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗧: 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗘𝗗𝗠𝗢 𝗛𝘂𝗯𝘀 🇲🇹 #Malta General #Election: Unearthing a Pandora’s Box 🇨🇾 #Sandygate: the “True” Crime Case That Shook Up the Election Campaign and Public Debate in #Cyprus → 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗕𝗔𝗟 𝗣𝗨𝗟𝗦𝗘: 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 ⚓️ #Flotilla Goals Misrepresented: Fact Checks Challenge Meloni’s Claims and Highlight Legal Dispute 🦠 Misleading #Ebola Claims Spread as Conflict and #Misinformation Fuel Deadly Outbreak in #DRC 🇺🇦 False Claims About #Ukraine Drone Attacks From #Latvia Debunked as Russian Disinformation → 𝗢𝗡 𝗔 𝗗𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘 💡 AI and #Democracy: Mapping the Intersections | Report by @Rageorge88 and Ian Klaus @CarnegieEndow 🤝 With contributions from across the EDMO Network, incl. @BECID_EDMO (@rebaltica), @GADMOeu (@correctiv_fakt), @HdmoHub (@lakmusz_hu), @iberifier (@Newtral), @IDMO_it, @MEDDMOhub, @nordishub (@TjekDet), @STGEUI, @PagellaPolitica, @FactaNews, @atc_gr, as well as outside the EDMO network, incl. @BalobakiCheck and @TBIJ.

HDMO Partners Join Events on Information Integrity and Disinformation at the French Institute in Budapest (from May 26, 2026) Starting May 26, 2026, the French Institute in Hungary will once again host a series of events dedicated to promoting media literacy and strengthening information integrity. The programme features a rich range of activities, including training sessions, workshops for students and teachers, a roundtable discussion, film screenings, a digital exhibition, and professional meetings. Together, these initiatives aim to raise awareness across diverse audiences—particularly among young people—while fostering practical solutions and showcasing expert insights. HDMO partners @Pol_Cap, @MertekMonitor, and @AFP are among the contributing organisations. On May 29, Bulcsú Hunyadi (Political Capital) and Ágnes Urbán (Mérték Media Monitor) will present their analysis of the Hungarian election campaign during a public discussion. Throughout the week, a selection of AFP’s Hungarian fact-checking work will be featured within the immersive exhibition Fabricated, originally developed by Inholland University. The full programme (in Hungarian) is available here:  Dezinformáció elleni hetek | Institut français

Magyarországon az elmúlt tizenhat évben intézményes, államilag szponzorált dezinformációs kampányok mérgezték a közéletet. Meg is van az eredménye: közvélemény-kutatások szerint a magyar információs környezet torzulása tartós bizalomvesztést, polarizációt, az összeesküvés-elméletek és dezinformációs narratívák terjedését, valamint az intézményi bizalom súlyos erodálását hozta magával. Ezek a hatások bár nem visszafordíthatatlanok, nem is tűnnek el automatikusan egy kormányváltás következtében. Intézményes válaszokra van szükség a médiaszabályozás, a médiapluralizmus védelme, valamint a médiaműveltséget és kritikai információfeldolgozást fejlesztő oktatási programok területén. A HDMO partnerszervezetei által összeállított javaslatcsomag célja egy tisztább, működőképes információs környezet támogatása és az uniós szabályok hatékonyabb érvényesítése: tinyurl.com/tjzwp36n

Hungary’s democratic transition after Viktor Orbán may begin where his regime was once strongest: the centralized media and propaganda machine that sustained sixteen years of illiberal rule. In this ECPS interview, @peterkreko, Director of @Pol_Cap argues that Orbán’s highly professional disinformation apparatus has suffered a striking collapse, opening new possibilities for democratic renewal, media pluralism, and a more critical public sphere: tinyurl.com/rvt4keyh

📬 𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂! We’re inviting submissions for the EDMO Blog from #researchers, #journalists, #medialiteracy practitioners, #factcheckers, #policymakers, #technologists, #civilsociety actors, and indeed anyone thinking critically about #InformationIntegrity. 💡 Whether you’re exploring emerging challenges, proposing new approaches, sharing lessons learned, or questioning prevailing assumptions, we welcome thought-provoking contributions from across disciplines and perspectives. 👉 Submit your proposal and join the conversation – or tell a colleague/friend! More information about the EDMO Blog and the submission guide: edmo.eu/resources/edmo-blog/ @ADMOeu @BECID_EDMO @BENEDMO_hub @BROD_EDMO @CEDMOhub @DEFACTO_UE @Edmo_Belux Fact-Hub.eu @GADMOeu @HdmoHub @iberifier @IDMO_it @Ireland_EDMO @MEDDMOhub @nordishub @EUI_EU @PagellaPolitica @atc_gr @MediaLearning @GLOBSEC @goripaula @lisaginsborg

🚨 Why Fidesz’s campaign didn’t work? 🚨 Why were Russian disinformation and AI ineffective? Szilárd Teczár's interview with @peterkreko director of @Pol_Cap and Ágnes Urbán director of @MertekMonitor is now available in English on @lakmusz_hu. Here you can read a shortened, edited version of the conversation: tinyurl.com/3xcfp4zr

Do not miss HDMO's latest blogpost on @EDMO_EUI Blog by colleagues from @Pol_Cap: 👉 How AI-generated content was weaponized in Hungary’s 2026 election campaign 👉 What explains the limited success of AI-driven disinformation despite its widespread use 👉 How public attitudes toward deepfakes may shape future political strategies 👉 Why a coordinated policy response is essential to address the risks of AI in elections 🔗 Read the full blogpost: tinyurl.com/57sx8ks7

📆 Register now and join us on 13 May for the first module of the EDMO Training Series on #Identity‑Based #Disinformation! ❗️Disinformation targeted against #minorities and #migrants poses particular challenges and risks, not only because of its potential overlap with illegal categories of speech including #HateSpeech, but also for its potential to incite #discrimination and at times real world #violence. The first module of EDMO’s training series on identity-based disinformation aims to provide an overview of some of the main trends, #narratives and techniques used by disinformation actors and networks when targeting minorities and migrants across #Europe. We're very much looking forward to hearing from – @lisaginsborg @STGEUI @EDMO_EUI – @kateklingova @GLOBSEC @EDMO_EUI – @jose_moreno @lcc_iul @iberifier – Eóin Young @ICPAdvocacy 👉 Learn more & save your spot: edmo.eu/training/edmo-traini…

Viktor Orbán lost despite being supported by the Kremlin, the White House, Israel and China – and his erstwhile allies threw him overboard before the votes could be counted. Peter Kreko discusses why Russian interference in Hungary failed, how Peter Magyar dismantled Orbán’s propaganda apparatus with preemptive communication and competence – and why Fico now finds himself friendless in the region. Interview with @peterkreko, Director of @Pol_Cap, on Infosecurity.sk: tinyurl.com/4u9an8pt

🇭🇺 Digital warfare ahead of Hungarian elections⁉️ @HdmoHub experts warn of unprecedented disinformation and AI-driven manipulation shaping the online space during the election period. Key issues: 🤖 Network of AI-generated fake profiles spreading coordinated content 🚫📢 Circumventing Meta’s political ad ban using AI-generated ads 🇷🇺 Russian-linked disinformation targeting opposition with fabricated narratives 🇺🇦 Anti-Ukrainian narratives framing Ukraine and Zelenskyy as adversaries A growing mix of tactics contributing to online propaganda and information disorder. ⚠️ More on the CEDMO website – link below. 👇🏻

1/4 Digitální válka před maďarskými volbami⁉️🇭🇺 📱 Online prostor zaplavily AI generované videa, obrázky a deepfaky namířené na politické oponenty. Podle @HdmoHub se v kampani mísili jak domácí aktéři, tak i napojení na zahraniční dezinformační sítě 🌐 ❗️ Výsledkem bylo prostředí, kde se realita v online prostoru čím dál víc rozpouštěla v propagandě a informačním chaosu. Jaké další formy digitální manipulace provázely maďarské volby, se dočtete v novém článku na webu CEDMO – odkaz ve vlákně. 👇🏻 #CEDMO #madarskevolby #madarsko #HDMO #dezinformace

We’re very happy to share that Szilárd Teczár, Editor-in-Chief of @lakmusz_hu , will represent our hub in the newly launched Election and Crisis-related Disinformation Taskforce by EDMO. A great step forward in strengthening collaboration against disinformation across Europe.👏

🎉The new @EDMO_EUI Monthly Fact-Checking Brief no. 58 is out! It highlights how rampant disinformation — both domestic and foreign — shaped the electoral campaign in Hungary ahead of the 12 April parliamentary elections. Key findings about the Hungarian elections: 👉 False narratives portraying the opposition as controlled by Brussels and Kyiv, and suggesting the country would be dragged into war 👉Use of AI-generated content, including deepfakes and manipulated images 👉Coordinated domestic disinformation, including false-flag operations targeting opposition events 👉Active foreign influence operations (e.g. Russian-linked networks like Matryoshka and Storm-1516) Explore the full brief here for more insight: edmo.eu/wp-content/uploads/2…

A blow to Putin? What does the Hungarian election result mean for Russia? In a recent DW News report about the Hungarian elections, @peterkreko, director of @Pol_Cap commented: “Despite the fact that it seemed for many years that Russian disinformation resonates well with the Hungarian public, right now, there was a clear obvious rejection and Orbán’s pro-Russian disinformation simply did not sell well in the public.” 📷 Watch the full discussion here: youtube.com/watch?v=1M6fpJUg…