We’re bringing together the sharpest minds in fact-checking, media literacy, journalism, and research to take on disinformation from all angles. Our work is hands-on, data-driven, and designed to make a real impact across the Baltics.
What do we actually do?
- We run regular fact-checks in both private and public media (spearheaded by AS Ekspress Meedia / Delfi EST).
- We dive into audience studies to understand how different groups perceive disinformation and track the trends shaping its spread (led by the University of Tartu).
- We roll out powerful media literacy campaigns that boost critical thinking and digital skills across generations (driven by the Baltic Centre for Media Excellence).
Armed with these insights, our researchers are crafting a unified methodology to measure fact-checking impact and drafting a bold code of conduct for BECID fact-checkers. The endgame? To outsmart disinformation, strengthen public trust, and better shield vulnerable communities from its harmful effects.
OUR TEAM
Estonia
Maia Klaassen
maia.klaassen@ut.ee
Marju Himma
Principal Investigator
marju.himma@ut.ee
Maria Murumaa-Mengel
Senior Expert on Media Literacy
maria.murumaa@ut.ee
Inger Klesment
Media Literacy Specialist
inger.klesment@ut.ee
Lilian Ariva
lilian.ariva@ut.ee
Kaarel Lott
Junior Researcher
kaarel.lott@ut.ee
Gretel Juhansoo
gretel.juhansoo@ut.ee
Sten Torpan
Researcher
sten.torpan@ut.ee
Uku Kangur
Junior Researcher
uku.kangur@ut.ee
Regina Lapp
Project Financial Manager
regina.lapp@ut.ee
Marta Vunš
Fact-checker
marta.vuns@delfi.ee
Holger Roonemaa
Project Manager
holger.roonemaa@delfi.ee
Kristina Seimann
Partner
kristina.seimann@ut.ee
Latvia
Evita Puriņa
Head of fact-checking team at Re:Baltica
recheck@rebaltica.com
Sanita Jemberga
Project Owner at Re:Baltica
rebaltica@rebaltica.com
Ieva Strazdiņa
Project Administrative Manager at Re:Baltica
ieva@rebaltica.com
Agnese Ēķe – Cēsniece
Project Manager
agnese.eke@bcme.eu
Gunta Sloga
Project Lead
gunta.sloga@bcme.eu
Lithuania
Ieva Ivanauskaitė
Project Owner
ieva.ivanauskaite@delfi.lt
Aistė Meidutė
Fact-checker
aiste.meidute@delfi.lt
Rasa Balaikienė
Project Manager
rasa.balaikiene@delfi.lt
PARTNERS
University of Tartu, Institute of Social Studies (Estonia)
UTARTU is the national university of the Republic of Estonia, according to the University of Tartu Act and is a research organization according to its statute. UTARTU is Estonia’s leading centre of research and training and belongs to the top 1.2% of the world’s best universities, according to the QS World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. UTARTU accounts for more than a half of all the doctoral degrees conferred, research publications, and national R&D financing in Estonia. UTARTU has extensive academic contacts and collaborative research projects with universities worldwide. According to information on the ISI Web of Science, UTARTU belongs to the top 1% of the world’s most-cited universities and research institutions. The work within BECID will be carried out by the Institute of Social Studies (ISS), which is an esteemed centre of competence in communication and information sciences, social work and policy. QS University Rankings by Subject has placed our media and communication research among the world’s best fields 150-200 for six consecutive years by now, which is a unique result for the whole of Estonia. ISS has a long record of international research projects, multilingual work outcomes and transnational consortia.
Re:Baltica
Re:Baltica is a non-profit organization that produces investigative journalism and fact-checking in the Baltic region, with a focus on disinformation. Since 2012, they have focused on analyzing disinformation originating in Russia and on tracking trends, sources, and super-spreaders in the lead up to elections. In 2019, they established a fact-checking unit called “Re:Check,” which publishes regular fact-checks in Latvian and Russian and is IFCN certified. In 2020, Re:Check partnered with Facebook as a third-party fact-checker to combat disinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Re:Baltica raises funds through donations, grants, and its own economic activity, which includes providing fact-checking services to Facebook and teaching, lecturing, and research for documentary production. Their annual budget is around 300,000 euros, and their work is available for free republishing and is accessible without a paywall in Latvian, Russian, and English.
AS Delfi Meedia (Estonia)
Delfi Meedia Faktikontroll is a fact-checking unit based in Estonia and accredited by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN). EPF focuses on investigative journalism and fact-checking, including issues related to disinformation and propaganda. The team consists of five people, with one person solely dedicated to fact-checking, two people working on both investigations and disinformation topics, and two people focused on investigations. EPF also collaborates with the Estonian Debating Society (EDS), with volunteers from EDS regularly publishing fact-checks according to an internally agreed and publicly available method. EPF publishes an average of 5-10 fact checks per month, which are always made available to the public without a paywall. In order to maintain editorial independence, EPF is open to funding its activities through grants and agreements with third parties. As of now, EPF has received funding from the IPI Newsspectrum grant for a pilot project of Russian language fact-checking and is a copartner of Facebook’s third-party fact-checking program.
Delfi Uzdaroji Akcine Bendrove (DELFI UAB; Lithuania)
DELFI UAB runs an online news outlet, is an official media partner of Facebook’s third-party fact checking program and its fact-checking project The Lie Detector (Melo detektorius in Lithuanian) is IFCN certified. Melo detektorius publishes fact checks assessing the validity of various claims and popular myths. In 2021 alone, fact checkers published over 500 articles in Lithuanian and Russian that debunk outrageous claims circulating online. Another project, Debunk (Demaskuok in Lithuanian) was officially founded in 2018 after it secured funding from Google DNI Fund and Delfi Lithuania. Debunk relies on an AI-based disinformation detection tool that was developed in DELFI UAB and is able to detect emerging disinformation campaigns 2 minutes from their publication. The project has a separate articles’ section under the same name where journalists debunk pre-orchestrated, mostly Kremlin-related disinformation campaigns.
Baltic Centre for Media Excellence (BCME) (Latvia)
BCME is a non-profit NGO based in the Baltic region, consisting of 13 founding members including public broadcasters, media associations, and universities. It is governed by a Board of seven members elected by the founding members, and managed by an Executive Director chosen by the Board. BCME receives funding from various governments and international organizations, including NATO, the British Council, and UNESCO. The organization’s focus includes media development and media literacy, with a strong emphasis on combating disinformation and promoting critical thinking skills. BCME’s media literacy efforts are tailored to different segments of the media audience, including those particularly vulnerable to propaganda and disinformation. The organization has a network of trainers, researchers, experts, and media representatives across the Baltic region and beyond.