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Be Election Smart Campaign

#BeElectionSmart: an EU-wide EDMO campaign
ahead of the 2024 European Parliament Elections

#BeElectionSmart was an EDMO initiative to support citizens in finding reliable election information and recognising false or manipulative content ahead of the 2024 European Parliament Elections.

Each Monday from 29 April to 3 June 2024, a new message along with practical tips was published on the websites and social media accounts of all 14 EDMO Hubs, covering all EU member states. You can also find the messages below.

Read the press release

Be Election Smart: Read more than the headline

Life is complicated, and so is politics. Headlines are designed to catch your eye, but a headline can’t give the full story, and neither can a short social media post. If it sounds unbelievable, it probably is. So, read the whole story, not just the headline.

Be Election Smart: Read more than the headline

Clickbait-style headlines and posts can be deliberately misleading, designed to promote strong emotions that encourage sharing. #BeElectionSmart

Banner week 1

Be Election Smart: Read more than the headline

Life is complicated, and so is politics. Headlines are designed to catch your eye, but a headline can’t give the full story, and neither can a short social media post. If it sounds unbelievable, it probably is. So, read the whole story, not just the headline.

Be Election Smart: Read more than the headline

Clickbait-style headlines and posts can be deliberately misleading, designed to promote strong emotions that encourage sharing. #BeElectionSmart

Be Election Smart: Look for the whole picture

It only takes a few clicks to change or enhance content to create entirely different meanings and narratives. If you see a video or hear a recording of a public figure saying something sensational, be aware that it might be fake.  #BeElectionSmart

Be Election Smart: Look for the whole picture

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies can create images or videos that look like real people but are completely fake. This includes “deepfake” videos. Audio-only deepfakes are especially hard to verify. View pictures and recordings online with a critical eye – especially if they trigger strong emotional reactions.

Be Election Smart: Look for the whole picture

Click here for tips on how to detect AI-generated content and learn more about prebunking AI-generated disinformation ahead of EU elections.

Banner week 2

Be Election Smart: Look for the whole picture

It only takes a few clicks to change or enhance content to create entirely different meanings and narratives. If you see a video or hear a recording of a public figure saying something sensational, be aware that it might be fake.  #BeElectionSmart

Be Election Smart: Look for the whole picture

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies can create images or videos that look like real people but are completely fake. This includes “deepfake” videos. Audio-only deepfakes are especially hard to verify. View pictures and recordings online with a critical eye – especially if they trigger strong emotional reactions.

Be Election Smart: Look for the whole picture

Click here for tips on how to detect AI-generated content and learn more about prebunking AI-generated disinformation ahead of EU elections.

Be Election Smart: Just because it’s viral, doesn’t mean it’s true

Disinformation often provokes a strong emotional reaction and prompts sharing in a moment of outrage, excitement or disbelief – don’t believe something just because it’s going viral. Bots/fake accounts can exploit algorithms to amplify content online. #BeElectionSmart

Be Election Smart: Just because it’s viral, doesn’t mean it’s true

Social media and messaging applications make it really easy to share information quickly to large groups of people. In addition, AI-powered technology can also be used to create fake profiles and promote false or inaccurate content, making it go viral with very little authentic sharing.

Week 3

Be Election Smart: Just because it’s viral, doesn’t mean it’s true

Disinformation often provokes a strong emotional reaction and prompts sharing in a moment of outrage, excitement or disbelief – don’t believe something just because it’s going viral. Bots/fake accounts can exploit algorithms to amplify content online. #BeElectionSmart

Be Election Smart: Just because it’s viral, doesn’t mean it’s true

Social media and messaging applications make it really easy to share information quickly to large groups of people. In addition, AI-powered technology can also be used to create fake profiles and promote false or inaccurate content, making it go viral with very little authentic sharing.

Be Election Smart: Get your information from more than one source

If a piece of information is only being reported from one source or one media type, it might not be the whole story. Ask yourself who produced it, why, and how it has reached you? #BeElectionSmart

Be Election Smart: Get your information from more than one source

Different editorial rules apply across different types of media. In general, there are more checks and balances required for information that is broadcast or published in print, compared to some information online.

week 4 website

Be Election Smart: Get your information from more than one source

If a piece of information is only being reported from one source or one media type, it might not be the whole story. Ask yourself who produced it, why, and how it has reached you? #BeElectionSmart

Be Election Smart: Get your information from more than one source

Different editorial rules apply across different types of media. In general, there are more checks and balances required for information that is broadcast or published in print, compared to some information online.

Get your info about voting from reliable sources

Seek out reliable information on how, when and where to vote in the elections from official sources. Check this out ️ https://loom.ly/T1NG9yk and be wary of any content that suggests fraud is taking place. #BeElectionSmart

Get your info about voting from reliable sources

Disinformation around the electoral process often spreads before and after elections, aiming to delegitimise elections through unfounded claims of voter fraud, foreign influences and unfair practices ️ https://loom.ly/3FgML1E

Week 5

Get your info about voting from reliable sources

Seek out reliable information on how, when and where to vote in the elections from official sources. Check this out ️ https://loom.ly/T1NG9yk and be wary of any content that suggests fraud is taking place. #BeElectionSmart

Get your info about voting from reliable sources

Disinformation around the electoral process often spreads before and after elections, aiming to delegitimise elections through unfounded claims of voter fraud, foreign influences and unfair practices ️ https://loom.ly/3FgML1E

If in doubt, ask an expert

If you have doubts about a story or post you have read, you can ask an expert and flag it if it seems inauthentic. Independent fact-checkers review content published online and assess its accuracy.

If in doubt, ask an expert

The EDMO Elections Task Force is publishing daily updates about disinformation circulating about the elections, and the European Fact-Checking Standards Network has a database of fact-checked election information.

Week 6 website

If in doubt, ask an expert

If you have doubts about a story or post you have read, you can ask an expert and flag it if it seems inauthentic. Independent fact-checkers review content published online and assess its accuracy.

If in doubt, ask an expert

The EDMO Elections Task Force is publishing daily updates about disinformation circulating about the elections, and the European Fact-Checking Standards Network has a database of fact-checked election information.

United against disinformation – a campaign
across all EU member states

Click on the flags below to find the regional #BeElectionSmart campaign posts published in the respective languages by the 14 EDMO Hubs covering all EU member states.