According to Prof. Sylvia Ilieva, Director of the GATE Institute, disinformation should be viewed not as a sudden crisis but as a constant and evolving process. She stated this during the final event of DisInfoHack 2026 at Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski.
Prof. Ilieva emphasized that the core objective of the CoDE project was establishing a sustainable network and ecosystem dedicated to countering disinformation. She noted that this initial large-scale ambition has become a tangible outcome through the collective efforts of the project partners.
The nature of contemporary disinformation has expanded beyond mere text, now encompassing images, video, and content generated by artificial intelligence, which accelerates its spread and complicates mitigation efforts. Initiatives such as DisInfoHack, described by Ilieva as a “slow hackathon,” are vital in developing a sustainable countermeasure approach. Participants engage with real-world cases and complex issues, collaborating with specialists from journalism, technology, and institutional sectors.
This interaction, she noted, cultivates a necessary ecosystem of knowledge and practical skills for effective counteraction. DisInfoHack operates under the framework of the three-year CoDE project, which employs a scientific methodology to analyze Bulgaria’s information environment. The project aims to research the landscape, compile best practices, and develop tools for countering disinformation.
Prof. Ilieva expressed hope for the continued development of the initiative to foster deeper annual participation.
Topics: #process #gate #director
