CONNECT University session "Fake News and Cyberattacks: Democracy and elections in the digital era"

The session explored the elections world and highlighted the challenges for a comprehensive strategy on election cybersecurity, raising awareness of the importance of cybersecurity on ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of information. Transparency of the information used in political communication is essential. A cyber-attack might lead to stolen data that can be used in influencing the process of decision-making, withdrawing the legitimacy of the real news. During the session the European Commission experts presented the Compendium on cyber security of election technology, offering in a transparent manner tools and techniques to harden cyber security of an election process.

Agenda:

Moderator: Anni Hellman, Deputy Head of Unit, I4 Media Convergence and Social Media

10:00-10:10 Welcome speech by Paolo Cesarini, Head of Unit I4 Media Convergence and Social Media

10:10-10:30 Presentation by Cristina Frutos López, Head of European Operations - Election Solutions, Indra

10:30-10:45 Keynote speech by Despina Spanou, Director for Digital Society, Trust and Cybersecurity DG CONNECT, European Commission

10:45-11:00 Presenting the Compendium on cyber security of election technology by Leonardo De Vizio, policy officer, Cybersecurity & Digital Privacy Policy, DG CONNECT, European Commission

11:00-11:30 Q/A session

11:30-11:45 Conclusions by Anni Hellman, Deputy Head of Unit, I4 Media Convergence and Social Media