Disinformation about Ukraine and climate change remains stable in June, while Covid-19 related disinformation is fading away and disinformation about the EU grows
The 25 organizations* part of the EDMO fact-checking network that contributed to this brief published a total of 1.503 fact-checking articles in June 2023.
Out of these articles, 162 (11%) focused on Ukraine-related disinformation; 78 (5%) on COVID-19-related disinformation; 135 (9%) on climate change-related disinformation; and 100 (7%) on disinformation related to the EU. While Ukraine-related disinformation remains stable, disinformation about Covid-19 touches a new low, confirming the decreasing relevance of the topic. Disinformation about climate change recedes after the surge in May connected to extreme weather events in Spain and Italy. EU-related disinformation is growing but, as for now, there is not enough data to assess if this is a trend.
*Organizations that contributed to this brief: 15min, AFP, Correctiv, Delfi, Demagog.cz, Demagog (Pl), DPA, DW, EFE Verifica, Ellinika Hoaxes, Factcheck Vlaanderen, Faktisk, FranceTV, Funky, Greece Fact Checking, Lakmusz, Maldita, Newtral, PagellaPolitica/Facta, Polígrafo, Pravda, Press Hub Romania, Re:Baltica, The Journal Fact-Check, Verificat.
Disinformation about LGBTQ+ communities
Disinformation about LGBTQ+ was already a significant phenomenon in May and, as foreseen in the previous brief, further increased in June. This is in fact the “Pride month”, when in many EU countries demonstrations took place, and many false news exploited the media coverage of the topic to spread exaggerations, false messages – like the one about a non-existing “Family Pride” organized by the italian government – and accusations, of paedophilia and gender indoctrination among others, against the LGBTQ+ communities .The main narratives are the ones already detected in a dedicated EDMO investigation, but in June emerged in many EU countries the technique of linking this kind of disinformation to children, with the likely intent to maximize the emotional negative reaction of the readers. A similar technique was detected, as said (see slide n.4), also in the Ukraine-related disinformation.
Examples of false news about LGBTQ+ people and children
– In the Netherlands, Croatia and Lithuania, false news circulated about a book allegedly for children, that intends to sexualize them and promote promiscuity.
– In Bulgaria false claims circulated about the newly appointed Minister of Labour and Social Policy Ivanka Shalapatova wanting to enforce “gender neutrality” in kindergartens.
– In Italy and Spain a doctored image circulated of a participant of a Pride manifestation wearing a white T-shirt with the words “Trans kids are sexy”.
– In Romania the false narrative about initiatives aiming to wrongfully take children away from their families to give them up for adoption into LGBTQ+ families keeps circulating.
– In Spain and Lithuania the claim that the German police would have taken their children from a Muslim family for saying at school that homosexuality and LGBTQ+ culture is not accepted in Islam is still circulating, echoing a similar viral disinformation phenomenon detected in the past in Scandinavia.
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