Dr Eileen Culloty and DCU PhD candidate Ioan Suhov of EDMO Ireland delivered training to the Romanian Community of Ireland (RCI) on 2 June.
Founded in 1998, RCI facilitates an open platform for Romanians living in Ireland, providing services such as English classes for beginners, organising social and cultural activities, and collaborating with local NGOs and public and private sector actors. Ireland’s Romanian population increased by 69 per cent between 2011 and 2016.
As evidenced by colleagues in the BROD Hub, the Romanian media landscape is subject to significant disinformation. Romania made international headlines in late 2024 when journalists revealed multiple attempts by Russia to influence the electoral campaign, using influencers to manipulate algorithms in favour of specific candidates. For his PhD research, Suhov is examining disinformation about Ukraine in Romanian media.
The training consisted of an introduction to disinformation and influence tactics by Dr Culloty, followed by discussion of specific examples of influence operations in Romanian media. The session provided attendees with practical tools for recognising and responding to disinformation affecting their communities.
