EU Strategic Communication as a Means to Fight Against Disinformation.

Abstract

The article analyzes one of the directions of the European Union strategic communications aimed at debunking fakes and disinformation. Strategic communications belong to the innovative tools of the EU foreign policy, aimed at interaction in the format of both strategic partnership with international actors and regional cooperation with European countries. The East Stratcom Task Force has been created precisely 

for the East Neighborhood countries to cooperate with the East Europe states and to better inform on the EU in these countries. The Task Force analysts see their mission in explaining and promoting the European Union's policy in the Eastern Neighborhood, as well as correcting disinformation. The Task Force reports and analyzes the trends of disinformation, explains and debunks disinformation messages and raises awareness of disinformation produced by the Russian Federation and Russian-language media.

EUvsDisinfo is the publicly available international disinformation database which provides weekly reviews of the Task Force and presents analytical articles on this issue. In particular, analytical materials emphasize that the Kremlin campaign for disinformation uses diversification of channels, messages depending on the target audience. However, all messages have a common goal that is to weaken the West, discrediting the idea of European integration, and to strengthen the Kremlin, promoting the convictions and values of the Russian Federation.

Disinformation is used by the Kremlin as a means of acquiring power in both Russian and foreign policy. The Task Force analysts conduct a comprehensive analysis of disinformation messages and demonstrate that disinformation cannot only be a way of intimidating and demonstrating power; it can also be ridiculous, mischievous, when its creators, trying to mislead the audience, are mistaken and exposed.

Being aware of the acuteness of the disinformation threats, the European Commission has set up a high-level group of experts whose mission is to provide advice on policy initiatives to counteract false news and disinformation online.