Fact-checks, disinformation-related research and e-learning materials: that is how hdmo.eu will look like

Recent research on disinformation, materials to promote conscious media consumption and fact-checking articles will be published on the new platform of HDMO (Hungarian Digital Media Observatory).

The Lakmusz-HDMO project brings together six autonomous organisations. Researchers from Political Capital and Mérték Media Monitor are investigating the spread of disinformation and the effectiveness of measures to combat it, journalists from the AFP international news agency and Lakmusz are carrying out fact-checking work, and the staff of Idea Foundation are providing training on conscious media consumption. The digital infrastructure for Lakmusz-HDMO is provided by EpressPac.

In the framework of the cooperation, the already existing fact-checking website, lakmusz.hu has been revamped, and a new platform, hdmo.eu, has been created to raise awareness of disinformation spreading through various channels and platforms, in a more effective way and reaching a wider audience. The first phase of the project has already been successful: launched in January 2022, Lakmusz.hu (the first dedicated fact-checking site in Hungary, featuring fact-checking articles by the Lakmusz team and the AFP editorial team) reached nearly 2 million readers in its first year of operation, and we aim to further increase this number.

Lakmusz.hu is published by Hungarian publisher Magyar Jeti, and it closely cooperates with Magyar Jeti’s popular online news site, 444.hu, which helps to promote fact-checking content.

Hdmo.eu will be more than just a fact-checking site: fact-checking articles from AFP and Lakmusz, research (produced in the framework of the project) by Mérték Media Monitor and Political Capital, and the plans for e-learning materials by  Idea Foundation are already available. The website is constantly updated with new fact-checks, research and training materials, so it does not only serve as a compass for everyday news consumption, but also provides a platform for research and training on the topic.

The Lakmusz-HDMO project, co-funded by the EU, is part of the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO). This independent coordinating body was set up in 2020 with the aim of creating a common platform for journalists, researchers and media education experts to fight disinformation more effectively. EDMO has a total of 14 national/regional centres covering all EU Member States.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Health and Digital Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.