Call for Proposals: European Narrative Observatory to fight Disinformation post-COVID 19

Deadline: 22-Sep-23

The European Commission (EC) is seeking proposals for the European narrative observatory to fight disinformation post-COVID 19.

Objectives

The pilot project will work on the following objectives:

• to monitor, analyse and measure the emergence and impact of narratives related to the war in Ukraine, gendered disinformation (in particular LGBTQ+ related narratives), and elections (in particular the 2024 European elections). This includes in particular:
  • examining and comparing narratives developed in different Member States in a minimum of six (6) EU languages, selected in accordance with the criteria set out under the section “Themes and priorities”, on the topics identified above using a case study approach;
  • working on a concrete methodology, taking into account the NODES pilot project and existing methodologies, to monitor, analyse and critically assess how narratives are created, developed and spread, particularly in relation to the three topics. The methodology should be further developed and refined to address the specifications of this project building on the results of the case studies;
  • using network science methods and big data techniques to map the actual sources and key actors involved in the creation/spreading of online and offline narratives on the above topics, as well as the various means used for their dissemination;
• to draw conclusions and propose measures, future policy actions and novel practices to support the emergence of positive narratives and counter harmful false narratives. These proposed measures shall be piloted in cooperation with appropriate partners from the fact-checking, media and civil society spheres. In particular, the actions under this objective shall include:
  • under active involvement of partners from fact-checking, media and civil society organisations, developing strategies and methods to pre-empt and counter-act misleading narratives, including concrete measures to protect against harmful narratives targeted at relevant actors in the three topical areas (e.g., civil society organisations, election authorities etc.);
  • identifying possible new methods, in particular “inoculation” techniques, to make the public more resilient against existing or emerging false narratives (e.g., in the context of a war, related to certain communities or minorities, or elections);
• to disseminate the results of the project via public policy events, a dedicated project website/repository, as well as through social media and other media channels, targeting both experts and the general audience (with separate, dedicated communication strategies). In particular, the actions under this objective shall include:
  • organisation of a series of workshops, conferences and public events to disseminate the project results;
  • production and maintenance of a visually engaging webpage to disseminate the results of the narrative analysis and to share the case studies. The webpage should also include a public repository containing the material and data used for the three case studies;
• The objectives and deliverables defined above will be documented through the following outputs:
  • delivery of a final report containing the results of the three case studies on narratives related to the three themes of the project, the resulting methodology, the identified policy actions/novel practices to counter harmful false narratives, as well as an overview of the dissemination activities;
  • submission of short periodic reports every three months outlining the progress of the project on the above elements;
  • submission of one comprehensive mid-term report informing about the data collected during the first phase of the project, providing estimations/preliminary conclusions derived from the data collection so far, and identifying potential new lines of research and/or any difficulties encountered;

Themes and Priorities

• As explained above, the primary aim of this pilot project is to examine how narratives, including false and harmful narratives, emerge and how to reconcile existing narratives with facts through a case-study approach. To that end, the scope of this project is targeted to three specific policy topics of current public interest that can be easily targeted by disinformation and are expected to be examined through a case-study approach:
  • the war in Ukraine;
  • gendered disinformation, with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ related narratives; and
  • elections, with a particular focus on the 2024 European elections.
• The project is expected to analyse dominant narrative patterns related to the above topics across different EU Member States in a minimum of six (6) EU languages, one of which should be English.
• The additional languages should be selected on the basis of a reliable analysis of where disinformation on the three policy topics defined above is more likely to impact public opinions and aiming to ensure a balanced geographical coverage of Member States across the EU, as well as a balance between languages spoken by smaller and larger language communities. The applicants are thus encouraged to include a reasoning justifying the selection of languages and the purposes served.

Available Budget

• The available call budget is EUR 1.190.500 (one million one hundred and ninety thousand five hundred euros).

Duration of Project

• The duration of the project is expected to be 18 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment). The proposed start date is 01/09/2024.

Expected Impacts

• The project is expected to provide research data and information analysis on the creation, development, dissemination, and possible effects of narratives on our democracies and societies. The impact of this pilot project is of paramount importance to better understand the current use and dynamics of narratives at large, but also in relation to specific topics of high European and worldwide interest, such as the war in Ukraine, gendered disinformation and the LGBTQ+ society, and elections. Moreover, the results of the case-studies are expected to provide a solid foundation for longterm use and the prediction/prevention of future harmful false narratives.
• In leveraging the insights generated by the project through partnerships with organisations from fact-checking, civil society and media, the project will furthermore provide concrete outcomes and practical use cases, strategies and actions to counter such harmful false narratives. Through an appropriate dissemination strategy, the project is also expected to raise public awareness, tackle the phenomenon of ‘narrative bias’ and help build future resilience.

Activities that can be funded

The following types of activities are eligible under this call for proposals:

• research activities;
• analyses and mapping activities;
• software development
• events and exhibitions;
• conferences, seminars;
• educational workshops and trainings;
• networking activities;
• awareness and dissemination activities;
• media and social media activities;
• content development.

Eligibility Criteria

• In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
  • be legal entities (public or private bodies)
  • be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
    • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs).
• Proposals may be submitted by any of the following applicants or combinations of:
  • non-profit organisation (private or public);
  • public authorities (national, regional, local);
  • international organisations;
  • universities;
  • educational institutions;
  • research centres;
  • profit making entities.
• Other entities may participate in other consortium roles, such as associated partners, subcontractors, third parties giving in-kind contributions, etc.

For more information, visit European Commission.