By Nayara Güércio
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Foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) are no longer abstract risks discussed only in policy circles. They are shaping public debate, influencing political trust, and testing democratic stability across Europe. The ATHENA Project operates within this context. In December 2025, Dr David Wright, coordinator of the project, delivered a presentation to the European Security and Defence College that set out both the scale of the challenge and the work already underway to address it. The aim was not just to share research findings. It was to open up the issue. How do coordinated information campaigns work in practice? Why do they work so well? And what can institutions realistically do in response?
As the session unfolded, it became clear that FIMI does not present itself as a single, easily defined threat. It appears in different forms, moves through different actors and channels, and often sits in legal grey areas while still placing pressure on democratic processes. Examples shared during the presentation made this visible. Generative artificial intelligence is enabling the rapid production of convincing but misleading narratives. Deepfakes are becoming harder to identify. Coordinated campaigns can focus on particular communities, policymakers, or national debates, feeding division and weakening confidence in public institutions. These are not distant possibilities. They are already part of the European information environment.
The ATHENA project, funded by the European Union (Grant number 10107667), was introduced as a direct response to this situation. Its purpose is to connect research, policy, and operational practice. This includes the development of a platform designed to identify and examine patterns of manipulation, alongside sustained collaboration with stakeholders from government, academia, industry, media, and law enforcement. The work rests on a simple recognition. Technical expertise on its own is not enough. Effective responses depend on coordination, shared awareness, and continued exchange between sectors.
Part of the presentation focused on a Delphi exercise involving experts from a range of professional fields. Participants were asked to consider which technologies are most likely to influence disinformation in the coming years and what consequences might follow. Their reflections pointed to the growing influence of AI tools, the financial structures that sustain manipulation campaigns, and the increasing ability to direct messaging at particular social groups. These insights are already feeding into ATHENA’s technological development and policy work.
Attention then turned to the draft policy brief emerging from the project. Rather than remaining at the level of analysis, it offers practical direction. It calls for stronger cross-border information sharing, earlier warning mechanisms, and investment in tools that can expose manipulated content. It also underlines the importance of supporting high-quality journalism. Public trust in information remains central to democratic life. When that trust begins to erode, even accurate reporting struggles to resonate.
The discussion also raised a broader strategic point: is it enough to simply “withstand” FIMI attacks or should institutions work to anticipate and interrupt it more actively? The conversation suggested that resistance alone is unlikely to discourage coordinated campaigns. Preventive action, closer cooperation between institutions, and continued research will be needed as tactics shift and new risks emerge.
Our practical and academic efforts are not over yet. ATHENA’s work will continue to develop technological tools, strengthen engagement with policymakers, and expand cooperation across European research and operational communities. The emphasis, however, remains the same: understanding foreign information manipulation is only one step. Societies also need the capacity to respond, adjust, and protect democratic processes over time. This presentation was part of that ongoing effort. It brought research into conversation with policy priorities and day-to-day realities. This presentation also served as a reminder that this work is cumulative, built through close collaboration with different experts and sustained commitment.
The ATHENA Project remains open to continuing and expanding this conversation, welcoming engagement from researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and civil society as the work moves forward.
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Posted by Nayara Güércio (Trilateral Research)