Welcome to the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) Baltic Hub BECID! We are a network of experts working to combat information disorders and promote media literacy in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Coordinated by the University of Tartu and supported by the European Commission, our team includes universities, fact-checking organizations, media outlets, and a non-profit organization dedicated to media excellence.
Our mission is to bring together experts in fact-checking, media literacy and academic research to detect and analyze disinformation campaigns, provide content and support to mainstream and local media and public authorities in exposing harmful disinformation.
We focus on performing regular fact-checks, conducting studies on the perception of disinformation, and executing media literacy campaigns to increase information resilience and improve media literacy.
Representatives: Maia Klaassen, Inger Klesment, Regina Lapp, Andra Siibak, Marju Himma-Kadakas, Ragne Kõuts-Klemm, Signe Ivask, Krista Lepik, Kristjan Kikerpill, Sten Torpan, Maria Murumaa-Mengel, Diana Poudel.
Representatives: Andres Kõnno, Andres Jõesaar, Barbi Pilvre, Katrin Saks, Katrin Sigijane, Külli-Riin Tigasson.
Representatives: Rūta Vainauskaitė, Auksė Balčytienė, Kristina Juraitė, Ignas Kalpokas, Darius Amilevičius, Andrius Utka, Dmytro Iarovyi, Darius Remeika, Patricija Naujanytė.
Representatives: Katrīne Kūkoja, Agnese Davidsone, Jānis Buholcs, Solvita Denisa Liepniece, Linda Veliverronena, Iveta Auniņa.
Representatives: Sanita Jemberga, Evita Purina.
Representatives: Gunta Sloga, Dalia Bankauskaite, Solvita Denisa-Liepniece.
Representatives: Ieva Ivanauskaitė, Aistė Meidutė.
Representative: Filips Lastovskis.
Representatives: Holger Roonemaa, Martin Laine, Kaili Malts.
Associated Partner
Representatives: Elina Leimane, Inga Gorbunova.
Vision
We aim to be the centre for the development and management of a long-term evidence-based strategy for MIL in the Baltic Sea region.
Mission
Our main mission is to provide specific knowledge of local information environments so as to strengthen the detection and analysis of disinformation campaigns and improve public awareness.
Principles of our Approach
Our approach to combating disinformation involves conducting a thorough analysis of the various actors, vectors, tools, and methods used in disinformation campaigns. We also examine the dissemination dynamics and prioritized targets of these campaigns. With this information, we are able to identify the specific needs of a given territory or linguistic area and develop customized media literacy campaigns to address them.
In addition to this work, we also collaborate with the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) to share best practices and contribute to their repositories of fact-checks, media literacy materials, and scientific articles. We use materials from the EDMO platform and also share our own educational and training materials to further the fight against disinformation.
Our approach to combating disinformation in the Baltic region involves ensuring a continuous flow of fact checks and analyzing disinformation campaigns. To achieve this, we will produce national fact-checks, podcasts and videos on fact-checks and debunks, as well as case studies and analysis of propaganda and disinformation coming from Russia and Belarus. We will also provide reports on disinformation trends in the Baltic states, as well as on the use of automated tools for fact-checking and the implementation of codes of practice on disinformation by Baltic media actors.
Fact-checking team members
Sanita Jemberga |
Re:Baltica |
Evita Purina |
Re:Baltica |
Ieva Ivanauskaitė |
Delfi (Lithuania) |
Aistė Meidutė |
Delfi (Lithuania) |
Holger Roonemaa |
Delfi (Estonia) |
Martin Laine |
Delfi (Estonia) |
Kaili Malts |
Delfi (Estonia) |
Filips Lastovskis |
Delfi (Latvia) |
BECID will execute media literacy campaigns in the Baltic region with the goal of enhancing media literacy among primary and secondary school teachers, educating young social media activists on fact-checking, improving digital competencies among older and younger people through intergenerational training, promoting information resilience and encouraging civic activism among Russian-speaking residents, and enabling Baltic youth to co-create MIL hackathons.
Media literacy team members
Maria Murumaa-Mengel |
University of Tartu, Institute of Social Studies |
Diana Poudel |
University of Tartu, Institute of Social Studies |
Inger Klesment |
University of Tartu, Institute of Social Studies |
Linda Veliverronena |
Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences |
Iveta Auniņa |
Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences |
Patricija Naujanytė |
Vytautas Magnus University |
Katrin Saks |
Tallinn University |
Katrin Sigijane |
Tallinn University |
Külli-Riin Tigasson |
Tallinn University |
Gunta Sloga |
Baltic Centre for Media Excellence (BCME) |
Dalia Bankauskaite |
Baltic Centre for Media Excellence (BCME) |
Solvita Denisa-Liepniece |
Baltic Centre for Media Excellence (BCME) |
We aim to improve fact-checking efforts within the BECID network, other EDMO fact-checking hubs, and the Baltic States. To do so, we analyze existing literature and tools for fact-checking, compare fact-checking practices and processes, study audience responses to and perceptions of different forms of fact-checking, and analyze media and platform regulations related to fact-checking. Based on this research, our team of researchers will develop a common methodology for analyzing the effectiveness of fact-checking and propose a code of conduct for BECID fact checkers. The goal is to more effectively counter disinformation and protect vulnerable audiences from its effects.
A team of researchers
Andra Siibak |
University of Tartu, Institute of Social Studies |
Marju Himma-Kadakas |
University of Tartu, Institute of Social Studies |
Maria Murumaa-Mengel |
University of Tartu, Institute of Social Studies |
Ragne Kõuts-Klemm |
University of Tartu, Institute of Social Studies |
Signe Ivask |
University of Tartu, Institute of Social Studies |
Krista Lepik |
University of Tartu, Institute of Social Studies |
Kristjan Kikerpill |
University of Tartu, Institute of Social Studies |
Sten Torpan |
University of Tartu, Institute of Social Studies |
Andres Kõnno |
Tallinn University |
Andres Jõesaar |
Tallinn University |
Barbi Pilvre |
Tallinn University, BFM |
Agnese Davidsone |
Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences |
Jānis Buholcs |
Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences |
Solvita Denisa Liepniece |
Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences |
Auksė Balčytienė |
Vytautas Magnus University |
Kristina Juraitė |
Vytautas Magnus University |
Ignas Kalpokas |
Vytautas Magnus University |
Darius Amilevičius |
Vytautas Magnus University |
Andrius Utka |
Vytautas Magnus University |
Dmytro Iarovyi |
Vytautas Magnus University |
Darius Remeika |
Vytautas Magnus University |