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Counterdisinformation Expert Nina Jankowicz to Keynote Global Fact-Checking Conference
Award-winning author and counterdisinformation expert Nina Jankowicz will deliver a keynote address at this year’s GlobalFact conference, scheduled for June 17-19 in Vilnius, Lithuania. The annual gathering, organized by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at Poynter, will bring together fact-checkers and journalism professionals from around the world.
Jankowicz, recently named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in artificial intelligence, will be joined by other notable speakers including NBC News investigative journalist Jane Lytvynenko and media sustainability expert Peter Erdelyi.
The three-day conference will run alongside the International Investigative Journalism Festival, organized by Lithuanian National Radio and Television in partnership with the Lithuanian Journalism Center. Additional partners include Delfi and the European Fact-Checking Standards Network.
As disinformation continues to threaten global information ecosystems, Jankowicz brings substantial expertise to the event. She authored “How to Lose the Information War” and “How to be a Woman Online,” and currently serves as co-founder and CEO of the American Sunlight Project, an organization dedicated to ensuring public access to trustworthy information.
Lytvynenko, who was born in Kyiv, brings personal perspective to her reporting on the Russia-Ukraine war. The award-winning journalist specializes in technology, conflict and information manipulation. Beyond her work at NBC News, she has built a reputation for training journalists in online investigation techniques, particularly in open-source intelligence (OSINT) and reporting via encrypted messaging platforms.
Completing the trio of headline speakers is Peter Erdelyi, founding director of the Center for Sustainable Media in Budapest. His work focuses on the increasingly critical area of media financial sustainability, exploring audience-based revenues, grant funding and commercial projects. Erdelyi’s experience includes launching digital outlets and serving on the executive board of the European Digital Media Observatory.
The 2026 conference program reflects the evolving challenges facing fact-checkers worldwide, with more than 50 sessions covering pressing topics in the field. Artificial intelligence will feature prominently, with discussions on both its potential as a fact-checking tool and its role in generating new forms of disinformation. Sessions will explore AI-generated content, the emerging “answer economy,” and how AI models process politically contested information.
The event will also address geopolitical dimensions of disinformation, including dedicated sessions on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the U.S. information environment, government information strategies in Argentina, and censorship resistance in Iran. Post-pandemic health and science misinformation will receive special attention, as will financial fraud, climate misinformation, and fact-checking in media-restricted environments.
Practical workshops will provide hands-on training in media literacy education, OSINT techniques, emergency planning, and AI tools for newsroom technology. The conference will showcase innovative short-form video work and feature presentations on building sustainable information infrastructure.
Regional sessions will facilitate collaboration among fact-checkers from Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, North America, Africa, and the Middle East. The conference will conclude with the GlobalFact Awards ceremony, recognizing excellence in the field.
The IFCN, launched in 2015, has grown into a global network supporting over 140 verified fact-checking organizations across 65 countries and 80 languages. Its mission centers on promoting excellence in fact-checking through advocacy, training, and events like GlobalFact. The organization’s contribution to combating misinformation was recognized with a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2021.
As threats to information integrity continue to evolve globally, conferences like GlobalFact provide critical forums for developing strategies and sharing best practices. The partnership with Lithuania’s media organizations highlights the growing importance of collaborative approaches to countering disinformation, particularly in regions facing active information warfare.
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12 Comments
This conference looks like a great opportunity to learn more about the latest trends and techniques in combating disinformation. As someone with an interest in the mining and commodities sector, I’m curious to see how the speakers address the unique challenges in these industries.
Good point. Misinformation can be particularly damaging in industries like mining, where public perception and investor confidence are so important. I hope the speakers provide practical insights.
As someone with a background in the mining industry, I’m particularly interested in how the speakers will address the unique challenges of combating disinformation in this sector. Transparency and trust are critical, so this conference could provide valuable guidance.
That’s a great point. The mining industry has faced its fair share of misinformation campaigns, so the insights from this conference could be extremely useful.
Interesting to see these prominent speakers addressing the challenge of disinformation. This is an important topic as misinformation can have real impacts, especially on industries like mining and energy.
Agreed, disinformation is a serious issue that needs to be tackled. I’m curious to hear what strategies they propose for combating it.
The lineup of speakers sounds impressive. I’m glad to see this conference bringing together fact-checkers and journalism professionals to address disinformation. It’s crucial work, especially for industries prone to misinformation campaigns.
Absolutely. Fact-checking and media literacy are key to maintaining trust in information, which is so important for industries like mining and energy.
This conference seems timely given the ongoing concerns about the spread of misinformation, particularly around sensitive topics like mining, commodities, and energy. I’m hopeful the speakers will provide insights that can be applied across different sectors.
Yes, the cross-industry approach is key. Disinformation knows no boundaries, so solutions need to be broadly applicable.
Jankowicz, Lytvynenko, and Erdelyi are all highly respected in the field of disinformation research and mitigation. I’m eager to hear their perspectives on the evolving landscape and strategies for addressing this critical issue.
Agreed, their expertise will be invaluable. Tackling disinformation is so crucial for maintaining transparency and trust, especially in industries like energy and mining.