FOREIGN INFORMATION MANIPULATION AND INTERFERENCE (FIMI) - INFORMATION SHARING AND ANALYSIS CENTRE (ISAC)
On 7 February 2023 High Representative/Vice-President of the European Union Josep Borrell announced the creation of an Information Sharing and Analysis Centre at the EEAS Conference on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference. The Centre will promote the sharing of information between all stakeholders about root causes, incidents and threats, and the sharing of experience, knowledge and analysis. This is a long-term fight; it is not going to be won overnight. We must have the tools. This “Information Sharing and Analysis Centre” will strengthen our responses and enable us to protect our democracies better.
What is the mission of the FIMI-ISAC?
The expert group advising on the formation of the FIMI-ISAC has proposed the following approach in the development of the FIMI-ISAC. The FIMI-ISAC is a group of like-minded organisations that engage in protecting democratic societies, institutions, and the critical information infrastructures of democracy from external manipulation and harm. Through collaboration, the FIMI-ISAC enables its members to detect, analyse and counter FIMI more rapidly and effectively, while upholding the fundamental value of freedom of expression.
The FIMI-ISAC does not act independently to counter FIMI. Rather, by enhancing collaboration, it empowers its members to do so more effectively. The FIMI-ISAC does not attempt to discern truth from falsehood or fact from fiction. Rather, its members work together to identify and expose deliberate manipulation of the information environment by foreign actors. While content may provide clues to an actor’s intent, the focus of the FIMI-ISAC is on identifying and exposing manipulative behaviour not content.
What problem does the FIMI-ISAC tackle?
Accurate, reliable information is the lifeblood of a healthy and functioning democracy. Citizens make informed choices about electoral candidates based on information. They debate, advocate, or support one policy position over another, based on information. The problem is that foreign actors are intentionally compromising the availability, reliability, or dissemination of this information for their own ends. They are exploiting advancements in technology such as generative AI, deepfakes, and botnets at unprecedented speed and scale. The FIMI-ISAC has been set up to tackle this problem by enhancing collaboration among organisations dedicated to defending democracy against the threat of foreign information manipulation.
Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) is a mostly non-illegal pattern of behaviour that threatens or has the potential to negatively impact values, procedures, and political processes. Such activity is manipulative in character, conducted intentionally and in a coordinated manner. Actors of such activity can be state or non-state actors, including their proxies inside and outside of their own territory1. FIMI is a complex political and security challenge that poses a threat to democratic processes and the acquisition of reliable information required for these processes. It must be continuously analysed and understood to be effectively countered.
1 Tackling Disinformation, Foreign Information Manipulation & Interference | EEAS (europa.eu).
Why do we need collaboration?
The problem of FIMI is global, complex, and ever evolving. To protect universal values, democracy, freedoms and societies, a diverse range of actors has emerged who try to detect, understand, and respond to FIMI – the defender community. A variety of organisations and initiatives worldwide contribute to countering threats, strengthening resilience, and shaping the whole-of-society approach to tackling FIMI.
Many organisations need to work together to detect and counter FIMI. Indicators of a single FIMI campaign can span multiple countries, languages, platforms, and media. Countermeasures can involve platform moderators, journalists, open-source researchers, government analysts, human rights advocates, prosecutors, legislators.
The biggest challenge is interoperability. How can we aggregate and share complex insights in a timely manner and at scale to create a common understanding and formulate a collective, systematic response to the problem? This is why we are building a FIMI Information Sharing and Analysis Centre (ISAC). As like-minded organisations, dedicated to combating FIMI, we will share information and work together for a stronger and more coordinated response.
Why are we starting to build the FIMI-ISAC now?
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has demonstrated clearly that foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), including disinformation, is a fundamental threat to universal values, stability, and democratic systems more broadly. At the same time a rising number of other actors in the international system are challenging the rules-based international order by attempting to manipulate the information environment, undermine democratic values, and promote authoritarian forms of governance.
The complexity of FIMI information makes it hard to merge; and interoperability is necessary to get the larger picture. Today, thanks to a growing counter-FIMI community and a mature cybersecurity community, we have all the ingredients needed to make the FIMI-ISAC successful:
- Common definition of the problem
- Common taxonomies
- Common data standard (Structured Threat Information Expression)
- Common tools that can bring the information together
- Common commitment to upholding freedom of expression
What are the benefits of the FIMI-ISAC?
- Interoperability: aggregate and analyse information more effectively by sharing and pooling research.
- Cooperation: exchange knowledge and best practices and build collective resilience against disinformation in a collaborative environment of trusted organisations.
- Impact: identify optimal countermeasures and increase their impact through sharing what works and what doesn’t.
- Measurability: begin to measure threats and the impact of our responses through collaboration and common metrics.
- Value: increase the value and sustainability of our expertise and insights by aggregating knowledge across sectors and geographies.
- Innovation: create new tools and solutions through transnational and cross-functional cooperation.
As a result of these benefits, members will gain broader and faster situational awareness, the knowledge to take more proactive measures to counter emerging threats, and a stronger evidence base for advocating policy changes.
Who are we?
All our members are:
- Organisations with a proven track record of detecting, analysing, and responding to FIMI.
- Regular producers of relevant and valuable insights, expertise, and/or data.
- Committed to universal values upholding democracy, rule of law, and human rights.
- Committed to collaboration and information sharing with other members.
- Willing to adhere to common standards and FIMI-ISAC governance.
Together, we will cooperate, share information, and make our voices heard to counter the issue of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference.
Who are we?
All our members are:
- Reputable organisations in the field of FIMI detection, analysis and response.
- Regular producers of relevant and valuable insights, expertise, and/or data.
- Committed to universal values and upholding democracy, rule of law and human rights.
- Committed to collaboration and information sharing with other members.
- Willing to adhere to common standards and FIMI-ISAC governance.
Together, we will cooperate, share information, and make our voices heard to counter the issue of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference.
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