Join us for a panel discussion that brings together practitioners to discuss results from the ARM Project (funded by Horizon Europe) to explore strategies, their impact on democratic societies, and practical ways to counter them. This event is co-hosted by the Centre for Digital Governance and the Berlin Social Science Centre.
Foreign influence in Europe is no longer limited to Russian disinformation. Authoritarian regimes—including countries as diverse as China, Russia, Rwanda, or Ethiopia—actively shape narratives, target diaspora communities, and attempt to guide, manipulate, and control independent voices. This panel brings together practitioners to discuss results from the ARM Project (funded by Horizon Europe) to explore these strategies, their impact on democratic societies, and practical ways to counter them.
Recent research shows that various authoritarian regimes seek to guide, manipulate, and control information and independent voices across Europe. These strategies not only target European audiences but also reach diaspora communities. For example, China has invested heavily in rebranding its international media outlets and delivering tailored messaging through social and commercial platforms. Smaller authoritarian regimes, such as Rwanda and Ethiopia, actively attempt to influence diaspora organizations in Europe to promote narratives favorable to their governments.
On this panel, Lovise Aalen will briefly present the results of the project, and a panel of practitioners will discuss these results in light of their various perspectives, including the German Intelligence Service, the German Foreign Office, and Civil Society. We will examine the challenges these strategies pose for democratic societies and explore approaches to prevent, counter, and respond to foreign influence operations effectively.
Some of the key questions we will discuss in the panel include:
