The Maldita.es Foundation against disinformation is part of IBERIFIER 3, a project bringing together 13 organisations from Spain and Portugal under the coordination of the University of Navarra. Funded by the European Commission, the project will run from November 2026 to April 2028. During this new phase, the consortium will work to detect, analyse and combat disinformation, improve responses to information crises, and strengthen the capabilities of citizens and information professionals.
This new phase continues the work carried out by IBERIFIER between September 2021 and February 2024, and IBERIFIER Plus between May 2024 and October 2026. It will therefore continue to form part of a network of 15 observatories supported by the European Union across its 27 Member States.
The new phase coincides with Spain's general election scheduled for 29 November 2026, meaning the project will pay particular attention to electoral disinformation. It will also address disinformation that spreads increasingly rapidly across platforms, countries and languages, including content manipulated using artificial intelligence and coordinated amplification campaigns.
What will the project do, and who is it aimed at?
The project will focus on three main areas of activity:
-
Fact-checking and research: Producing joint fact-checks and investigations into disinformation narratives and techniques affecting Spain and Portugal, supported by a shared platform.
-
Monitoring and rapid response: Detecting emerging threats and producing alerts and reports, with particular attention to elections, crises and information manipulation campaigns.
-
Media literacy and outreach: Providing training, campaigns and accessible materials for citizens, journalists and other media professionals, with particular attention to audiences especially vulnerable to disinformation.
These activities will improve coordination between teams in Spain and Portugal and strengthen their joint capacity to respond to disinformation campaigns, both during electoral processes and in extraordinary circumstances.
Who is involved in the project?
- Universidad de Navarra (Spain): Project coordination and research.
-
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain): Research and methodological evaluation.
-
Agencia EFE (Spain): News agency and fact-checking; coordination of monitoring and rapid response.
-
Newtral (Spain): Fact-checking.
-
Verificat (Spain): Fact-checking; coordination of communication and outreach.
-
Infoveritas (Spain): Fact-checking.
-
Learn to Check (Spain): Media education and literacy.
-
Fundación Maldita.es (Spain): Fact-checking and technology.
-
CENJOR (Portugal): Professional training for journalists.
-
OberCom (Portugal): Research; coordination of media literacy and training.
-
Polígrafo (Portugal): Fact-checking.
-
Lusa (Portugal): News agency and dissemination.
-
Iscte – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Portugal): Research and analysis.
What will Maldita.es do?
Maldita.es will lead the fact-checking and technology workstream within IBERIFIER 3. It will be responsible for operating and improving the shared fact-checking platform, incorporating tools to document and analyse the tactics, techniques and procedures used in disinformation campaigns. It will also oversee the quality of data provided by fact-checking organisations and work to facilitate data sharing with other European initiatives.
In addition, Maldita.es will coordinate Comprobado, a collaboration between fact-checking organisations to monitor, verify and disseminate responses to electoral disinformation. The initiative will be relaunched ahead of Spain's general election on 29 November 2026, building on its previous experience during the 2019 and 2023 general elections. Comprobado will have a dedicated website bringing together fact-checks produced by participating organisations.
Maldita.es will also participate in joint investigations, training activities for professionals and initiatives to disseminate verified content, with the aim of strengthening the ability of citizens and information professionals to recognise and respond to disinformation.
How much funding will Maldita.es receive to carry out the project?
The project's total budget is €1,314,136.77, of which the European Commission will contribute €749.905.75 through a grant under the DIGITAL-2026-BESTUSE-TECH-EDMO-09 call of the Digital Europe Programme.
The Maldita.es Foundation will receive € 135.594,41, representing 75% of the estimated costs of the project activities to be carried out by the organisation.