The integrity of the digital information environment has become a defining challenge for democratic societies. As elections increasingly unfold not only at the ballot box but also across social media platforms, disinformation campaigns, coordinated influence operations, and other forms of information manipulation threaten public trust, informed political debate, and democratic resilience. Strengthening the capacity of trusted communicators to recognize, understand, and respond to these challenges is therefore an essential investment in democratic security.
Aspen Germany’s Digital Defenders project addresses this challenge by bringing together a European and transatlantic network of influencers and content creators from Central and Eastern Europe, Germany, and the United States. Rather than viewing creators merely as communicators, the project recognizes them as increasingly important actors in shaping public discourse, reaching audiences that traditional media and institutions often struggle to engage.
Program Structure
During the first project year, an international cohort of 18 participants will explore the evolving landscape of hybrid threats, foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), platform governance, algorithmic amplification, election security, and democratic resilience. Through a combination of expert-led online workshops and study visits to Berlin and Bucharest, participants will engage with policy makers, researchers, journalists, technology experts, and civil society representatives to develop a deeper understanding of the strategic challenges facing today’s information ecosystem.
A central element of the program is an immersive crisis simulation in which participants assume the roles of key stakeholders responding to a fictional large-scale attack on election integrity. By negotiating within a simulated EU crisis framework, they will experience firsthand the complexities of democratic decision-making under pressure, the competing responsibilities of governments, platforms, media, and civil society, and the practical difficulties of coordinating effective responses to hybrid threats.
The project Digital Defenders seeks to contribute to the broader policy debate on democratic resilience. Participants’ experiences will be complemented by a publication featuring contributions from leading academics and practitioners on hybrid threats, information integrity, and democratic resilience. Aspen Germany will further support participants in amplifying their expertise and translating project insights into wider public engagement, helping to build a sustainable network of digital communicators across Europe and the transatlantic community.
Call for Applications
Applications for the inaugural cohort are now open. Aspen Germany welcomes influencers and content creators from Central and Eastern Europe, Germany, and the United States who are interested in contributing to a more informed and resilient digital public sphere. Participants from diverse thematic backgrounds and with varying levels of prior expertise are encouraged to apply: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/z0P3hCwfEr.
The project is funded by the Federal Foreign Office and supported by the Aspen Institute Central Europe, the Aspen Institute Romania and the Aspen Institute Kyiv.
