One of the eight European centers for disinformation research will be established in Prague
The European Commission ensures the emergence of a fungus Central European Observatory of Digital Media (CEDMO). The project will be based in Prague and will become part of the European Digital Media Observatory network (EDMO). The researchers will interdisciplinary research on the issue of misinformation, including their detection with the help of AI, strengthening digital and media literacy and the development of fact-checking platforms.
CEDMO will be led by experts from Charles University and the Czech Technical University, and will be one of eight hubs in the entire EU. The individual centers will look for ways to detect and disseminate misinformation, their impact on the population and to create a methodology for public institutions.
“The role of the media in the development of freedom and democracy is proving to be completely irreplaceable even in a pandemic, and their rebirth in the digital world has accelerated even more. I believe that projects like CEDMO will show that bringing the best together can help all EU citizens, “said the Vice-President of the European Commission. Věra Jourováwhich is in charge of the media area within its portfolio.
The project was brought to Prague by Charles University, which will coordinate the activities of researchers from the Czech Technical University and the Slovak research institute Kempelen’s Smart Technologies (KInIT), as well as the French press agency AFP and Polish partner projects. “I am proud that we succeeded in the competition of more than 30 entries as the third of eight. For us, it is an award for the long-term connection of excellent social research at the Faculty of Social Sciences with technological fields, “he demands Tomas Zimarector of Charles University.
CEDMO is also set to build a European Center of Excellence in AI, as researchers will also seek misinformation through artificial intelligence. “This is the first step in our journey to become a Europe-wide AI center that will protect people, their safety and their rights. Last year, together with Charles University and Masaryk University, we committed ourselves to building a European Center of Excellence in this field. CEDMO is one of the first successes on this journey, which we will continue to follow, “he says Vojtěch PetráčekRector of CTU in Prague.
The project will be funded for the first two years of operation from the calls of CEF Telecom 2020-EU-IA-0267 and will also be supported by the National Recovery Plan of the Czech Republic. The funds will cover the participation of Czech members of the consortium, which in addition to the Charles University and the Czech Technical University also includes a fact-checking platform Demagog.cz. The researchers will also create the CEDMO Index, which will examine the effects of misinformation on the Czech population and the media in the long term.