Programme
9:00-9:30
(30’)
Registration and welcome coffee
9:30-9:45
(15’)
Opening remarks
Michalis Rokas, Ambassador of the European Union to North Macedonia
Zoran Trajchevski, Director of Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services of North Macedonia
9:45-10:45
(60’)
As social media have become increasingly relevant channel of information gathering, so has their potential negative role in diffusion of information manipulation become more evident. Regional civil society has been working on ‘translation’ of the EU’s flagship initiatives to foster accountable and transparent digital space, most notably Digital Services Act (DSA) into the regional context. However, these attempts need further solidification and alignment across the region. This panel will focus on ways of achieving robust and regionally harmonized approach to addressing information manipulation and other forms of harmful content online and of engaging with the EU and with the platforms.
10:45-11:00
(15’)
Coffee break
11:00-12:00
(60’)
The Western Balkans is witnessing a surge in anti-gender and anti-LGBTIQ+ information manipulation and disinformation campaigns, impacting public opinion and hindering the democratization process in the region. These identity-based disinformation operations also pose a threat to the perception of the EU, embedding anti-Western narratives within the public discourse. Such operations foster hostility and polarization, while inciting hate speech and hate crimes. This panel will delve into the mechanisms of these information operations, examining how they reinforce discrimination, and discuss strategies for combating their harmful effects on society.
12:00-13:10
(70’)
Lunch
13:10-14:10
(60’)
The foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) is increasingly recognised as a phenomenon which requires institutionalized responses, such as dedicated state instruments, policies and bodies. In this breakout session we will discuss some of these institutionalisation practices, lessons learnt, challenges, and potential way forward
This session will delve into broad area of information manipulation in the domain of scientific knowledge, including climate, environmental and health related disinformation. Also, we will look into effective ways of fostering innovative and quality coverage, addressing information manipulation and scepticism, and enchasing media literacy in this domain
AI is a normal technology – powerful, imperfect, and shaped by institutions and incentives. We’ll demystify how modern AI generates text, audio, and video, then shift from chatbot hype to capability building and resilience: what citizens, newsrooms, and public bodies need to operate under AI-accelerated manipulation. We’ll discuss why strategies focused solely on AI regulation/restriction may undermine resilience development and potentially strengthen inequality. Through an AI-sovereignty lens, we’ll map key dependencies (models, cloud, data, standards) and show practical levers: a truth stack that combines platform signals, independent fact-checking, and Content Credentials to prove what’s authentic.
The workshop will be delivered by Professor Roman Jurowetzki, University of Aalborg, Denmark
This session is part of the "To AI or not to AI workshop" toolbox on a critical and practical approach to the use of emerging technologies designed by
Tactical Tech. This module critically examines how prompts function as a means of interaction with Large Language Model (LLM) interfaces. We will carry out different prompting exercises that reveal the limitations of AI models. Participants will critically explore potential uses for performing tasks such as translation, summarizing, repurposing content, drafting proposals, and analyzing data. All exercises include a critical approach and consistently highlight the ethical dilemmas and risks involved. In addition
to its practical learning approach on prompting it also provides links to the “AI & Us” exhibition which will be displayed as part of the conference.
The workshop will be delivered by MSc Ana Maria Salinas, Senior Manager at Tactical Tech
14:10-14:30
(20’)
Coffee break
14:30-15:30
(60’)
Younger generation is being shaped by and is shaping the development of online platforms. This panel explores the dual nature of this relationship, examining the risks of life on platforms, such as privacy concerns, misinformation, and digital addiction, alongside the opportunities platforms offer for tailor-made content that responds to the interests and needs of the new generation. We will discuss ways of navigating and engaging with the digital landscape that are empowering for creators and audiences, including enhancement of media literacy of the next gen.
15:30-15:45
(15’)
AI isn’t magic; it’s a normal technology that becomes risky when offense scales faster than defense. The talk will showcase how AI-enabled defense –
paired with content provenance, newsroom process, and a polycentric truth stack – keeps information spaces governable. We’ll unpack the capability–reliability gap (models can a lot in labs, but organizations struggle to make them dependable) and debate three dilemmas: provenance vs. privacy, real-time politician checks vs. governability, and platform crowd-notes vs. public-service verification.
Professor Roman Jurowetzki, University of Aalborg, Denmark
15:45-16:00 (15’)
Conference closing
Luciano Scambiato Licciardi
Press and Communication Team Leader, Delegation of the European Union to North Macedonia
16:00-17:00 (60’)
Reception