European news agencies must be formally recognized and legally protected as “critical democratic infrastructure” in the intensifying global battle against disinformation. This was the definitive conclusion reached by media executives at the Spring Conference of the European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA).
The high-level summit, titled “A World of Disinformation: Challenges and Solutions for News Agencies,” was hosted in The Hague by the Dutch national news agency, ANP (Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau), and sponsored by the Spanish media-tech firm Wesog.
The conference convened Europe’s top media directors, cybersecurity engineers, fact-checkers, and psychological operations (PsyOps) specialists to dissect how state-backed, highly coordinated disinformation campaigns are destabilizing Western democracies.
Shift in Warfare: News Agencies as Direct Targets
A major consensus among the delegates was that independent news agencies are no longer just passive observers reporting on fake news. Instead, they have been dragged to the frontlines, becoming direct, high-value targets for foreign and domestic influence operations.
[The Evolution of Disinformation Tactics]
TRADITIONAL: Amplifying fake narratives via fringe social media bots.
MODERN: Directly spoofing trusted agency logos, deepfaking reporters,
and launching coordinated smear campaigns to destroy media credibility.
Hostile actors are increasingly deploying synthetic imagery, AI deepfakes, and automated platform algorithms to hijack public discourse. Additionally, delegates highlighted a harsh economic reality: the very digital ad-revenue ecosystems that permit fake news networks to thrive are actively siphoning vital funding away from authentic, fact-based newsrooms.
EANA President’s Warning: “If disinformation prevails, democracy loses control,” cautioned Stefano De Alessandri, the President of EANA and CEO of Italy’s ANSA. “News agencies are the backbone of Europe’s information ecosystem. When they are weakened, the entire chain becomes fragile. If we want to dismantle disinformation, we must fortify independent news organizations.”
Beyond Journalism: A Whole-of-Society Counter-Strategy
Experts at the summit agreed that protecting the integrity of information can no longer be shoved onto the shoulders of journalists and localized fact-checkers alone. They demanded an aggregated, “whole-of-society approach” to establish systemic defenses:
| Collaborative Pillars | Strategic Defensive Actions |
| Independent Media | Deepen cross-border investigative alliances and share real-time threat intelligence. |
| Tech Platforms | Reprogram distribution algorithms to penalize synthetic content and prioritize trusted brands. |
| Public Institutions | Provide regulatory protections, classify newsrooms as critical infrastructure, and boost digital literacy. |
Even Science is Under Threat: The ESA Fact-Finding Mission
Illustrating how far disinformation has penetrated non-political spheres, the delegation traveled to the European Space Agency’s (ESA) European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC).
During briefings with ESA’s strategic communications teams, media executives analyzed how geopolitical rivalries and fake scientific narratives are targeting scientific establishments. The joint session underscored that maintaining public faith in space exploration and climate science requires the exact same rigorous, evidence-based reporting used in active conflict zones.
EANA’s Strategic Role
The European Alliance of News Agencies operates as a vital shield for journalism, safeguarding the economic and legal freedom of independent wire services so they can supply verified, fact-checked news to citizens, corporate entities, and state organs across the continent.
The alliance’s expanding footprint includes the Western Balkans; the Pristina-based news agency KosovaPress was officially integrated as a full member of EANA, ensuring that southeastern Europe remains tightly anchored to Europe’s central journalistic defense network.
