The report, Social identities and democratic vulnerabilities: Learning from examples of targeted disinformation, is published by the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE). It discusses the sensitive relationship between social identities and hybrid threats and how essential democratic processes can be manipulated to weaken democratic systems and erode social trust. This issue is particularly sensitive because measures to counter interference, whether through resilience strategies or attribution, may inadvertently politicise domestic debates and serve malign interests. Given the relative absence of clear policy options, regulatory frameworks or deterrence mechanisms in the information sphere, it is essential to continue to deepen the knowledge and understanding of this complexity to better safeguard the foundations of stable democracies.
Social identities and democratic vulnerabilities: Learning from examples of targeted disinformation
Elsa Hedling, affiliated with PDRI, recently published a report on social identities and democratic vulnerabilities.