The final round of DisInfoHack 2026 was held at Sofia University’s GATE Institute, where 40 students from over 12 universities, both domestic and international, presented analyses of disinformation narratives and proposed strategies for bolstering Bulgaria’s information resilience. The initiative is managed by St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia through the GATE Institute, in collaboration with several academic bodies and technology firms.
As part of the three-year CoDE project, the effort integrates research and practical application, guiding young participants to identify misleading content across various media and digital platforms. The students concentrated their analysis on six critical areas: elections, wars, ecology, migration, patriotism, and crises. Opening the event, several officials underscored the critical need for media literacy.
Sofia University Rector Prof. Georgi Valchev emphasized that critical thinking is essential to distinguish verified information from manipulation. Caretaker Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynsky warned that disinformation erodes societal trust and weakens democracy, noting that national security depends on the public’s ability to recognize truth.
Caretaker Innovation and Growth Minister Irena Mladenovska stressed that combating disinformation requires a coordinated effort among government bodies, the scientific community, and the technology sector. Furthermore, GATE Institute Director Prof. Sylvia Ilieva cautioned that disinformation is an evolving, continuous process, increasingly incorporating AI-generated media.
These leaders collectively stressed that institutional cooperation is vital for effective counteraction. The model is slated for international expansion,
Topics: #final #students #disinformation
It is encouraging to see students from so many institutions actively working to build information resilience against disinformation.
What specific types of disinformation narratives were the students tasked with analyzing?