Election Integrity, Graham Jones: International cooperation needed against disinformation

At a time when the integrity of elections is being challenged by disinformation and foreign interference, international cooperation and the engagement of journalists and organizations is necessary to build stronger resistance to foreign manipulation, says Ben Graham Jones, a consultant specializing in electoral integrity issues.

The British consultant, with extensive experience from over thirty election observation and advisory missions around the world, in an interview with The Geopost speaks about the impact of social media, online campaigns and foreign interference in democratic processes, offering valuable perspectives on the challenges and possible solutions.

Full interview:

The Geopost: How do you view the integrity of elections around the world?

Jones: I'm here today at the Balkan Disinformation Summit, a truly incredible event that brings together practitioners from across the region and the world who are working to build integrity against disinformation. And I think that's very important because this is a global challenge. We see threat actors spreading disinformation and trying to tear apart democratic societies. Of course, we also have problems with disinformation that is indigenous to particular countries, and often local politicians can spread different narratives, but actors like Russia and increasingly China are not focused on just one country. And that's why it's important that we talk to each other and think about what collective responses might look like, as we're doing here at the Balkan Disinformation Summit.

The Geopost: How do you view Russian interference in elections in Europe and all this information that is coming in?

Jones: We know that Russia and Russian-backed actors conduct information operations, and the question often arises as to who they are supporting in particular elections. And very often it is not about supporting a particular candidate, but very often it is about dividing democratic societies, sowing distrust and drawing people away from the democratic process. And that is why the right response, part of the right response, has to be to effectively debunk false claims. But we also have to address the reasons why people believe some of these narratives. And that means we have to present democratic values ​​in a positive light. It means making a positive case for civic participation, for voting, and actually challenging the claims that we encounter.

The Geopost: What about the Balkans? How do you view all these interventions? How does this complicate the situation?

Jones: I think what’s interesting about the Balkans is that there are some great organizations like The Geopost. There are also members of the International Fact-Checking Network who follow these things closely on the ground. But what I see every year working on many elections around the world is that tactics used in one context are later used in a completely different context. So if you want to prepare for the next elections in the Balkans, you need to look not only at our previous elections, but also at other elections around the world and be aware of the ways in which Russia and other hostile actors are trying to influence democratic processes in other countries. Tomorrow these tactics could be applied to us as well. So we need to have a global conversation about how we can improve our resilience and build increasingly ambitious coalitions against threats to information integrity.

The Geopost: What is the message for all journalists, media outlets and organizations in the Balkans, especially in Kosovo?

Jones: I would say that the time I spent here in Kosovo and talking to people was a very inspiring experience. There are so many organizations doing fantastic work, like The Geopost, and I think it's incredibly important that we not only look at the challenges – and they are big, the challenges that we face are significant – but also think about the way forward. And I think part of that way forward has to be the creation of increasingly ambitious coalitions. They work together, share knowledge, come together and think not only about how we can push back against disinformation, but also about how we can create a healthier democracy in five or 10 years, guided by this overall strategic vision, not only in Kosovo but also in the region and globally.

/The Geopost