Through the Iberian Digital Media Observatory IBERIFIER, Fundación Maldita.es is taking part in monitoring disinformation related to the upcoming General Election on 29 November, within the framework of the European Union’s Code of Conduct on Disinformation Rapid Response System (RRS). Monitoring under the RRS began on 2 November and will continue until 6 December. During this period, the IBERIFIER observatory will monitor disinformation that could undermine the integrity of the electoral process. If it detects irregularities, it will alert the digital platforms that are signatories to the EU Code of Conduct on Disinformation so that they can take action in accordance with their own rules and the law, if they deem it appropriate.
This mechanism is activated in all 27 EU Member States during electoral periods and makes it possible to monitor viral disinformation campaigns, coordinated information manipulation and foreign interference in the information environment. The RRS is part of the European Union’s Code of Conduct on Disinformation, which is integrated into the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), legislation that came into force in August 2023. This will therefore be the first time the RRS is activated in Spain.
IBERIFIER’s participation in this system strengthens collaboration between journalistic, academic and fact-checking organisations, helping ensure that the public has access to reliable information during electoral processes.
“In an electoral context, disinformation can affect the quality of public debate and make it harder for people to make decisions based on reliable information. At Maldita.es, we work to verify the content circulating online, provide context and offer tools that help people identify potential attempts at manipulation. Collaboration is essential to protecting the public’s right to be informed,” says Clara Jiménez Cruz, CEO and co-founder of Fundación Maldita.es.
About IBERIFIER
IBERIFIER is the observatory on disinformation for Spain and Portugal. It is a project co-funded by the European Union and part of the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) network. Its mission includes fact-checking, academic research into the phenomenon of disinformation, analysis of social trends, media literacy and information transparency. Coordinated by the University of Navarra, IBERIFIER brings together a consortium comprising news agencies Agencia EFE (Spain) and Lusa (Portugal), independent fact-checking organisations (Fundación Maldita.es, Newtral, Polígrafo, Verificat and Infoveritas), and academic and research institutions such as Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) and Iscte – University Institute of Lisbon.