In a world defined by intensifying global pressures, the unwavering quest for truth has become more critical than ever. Recently, over 500 dedicated fact-checkers from 80 countries converged in Vilnius, Lithuania—a city known for the historic resilience of its architecture—for the annual Global Fact-checking Summit. As the gathering kicked off, participants drew inspiration from the city’s ability to survive centuries of upheaval, acknowledging that their own work faces a precarious landscape. From political intimidation to the rapid, destabilizing advancements in artificial intelligence, fact-checkers are navigating a field that is increasingly complex. Yet, the atmosphere in Vilnius remained one of collective resolve, emphasizing that the mission to preserve objective reality remains the bedrock of a functioning democracy.
Angie Drobnic Holan, Director of the International Fact-checking Network, set the tone for the event with a powerful call to arms. She reminded her peers that “truth” is their constant North Star, even when the path grows difficult. Addressing the systemic obstacles fact-checkers face, she challenged the tech sector to shed its complacency. Her message was clear: fact-checking is not a form of censorship or a partisan agenda, but a vital service for public information integrity. Neil Brown, President of the Poynter Institute, echoed this sentiment, urging his colleagues to marry their traditional values of transparency and ethics with a new spirit of creative adaptation. He emphasized that while defenders of truth must honor their principles, they cannot afford to be trapped by old habits; innovation is essential to staying relevant in a fast-moving, digital-first world.
The summit underscored that defending the truth is now a matter of national security. Lithuania’s National Defense Minister, Robertas Kaunas, framed the presence of disinformation—particularly narratives pushed by hostile state actors—as a form of “cognitive warfare.” He argued that society must build multiple layers of defense, involving government, educators, and the media acting as “democratic infrastructure.” In Lithuania, this philosophy has taken root in schools, where students are taught how to navigate information warfare as part of their national defense training. By cultivating a “cognitively resilient” society that doesn’t fall into the trap of panic, nations can strip disinformation of its power, turning one of the most effective tools of modern conflict into a failing strategy.
Technological advancements, particularly the explosion of AI-generated content, provided a sobering focus for many discussions. The rapid rise of deepfakes—now commonly used in financial fraud and to impersonate public figures—brings unique challenges, especially for organizations in the Global South that often lack access to detection tools optimized for their languages. During a session on deepfake verification, experts from VERA Files shared a vital lesson: technology alone is not the answer. By combining AI detection with the nuanced, traditional human practices of verifying primary sources and cross-referencing visual inconsistencies, truth-seekers are creating more robust safety nets. This collaborative human-centric approach is proving essential as scammers and disinformation campaigns evolve faster than the software meant to stop them.
Beyond politics and state-sponsored agendas, the summit addressed the human cost of rising online scam networks. Cybersecurity experts and fact-checkers joined forces to map how emotional manipulation and social engineering are draining finances and trust worldwide. These sessions highlighted that disrupting professional scam networks requires more than just debunking individual lies; it demands a united front between financial institutions, law enforcement, and media organizations. By connecting the digital “infrastructure” of scams with the investigative work of fact-checkers, panelists illustrated how a coordinated, cross-sector partnership can effectively dismantle operations that target the most vulnerable, from the elderly in local communities to participants in global digital markets.
As the summit drew to a close, the focus shifted toward the future of communication and media literacy. The participants explored new ways to bridge the gap between complex facts and public attention, discussing how to humanize the work of fact-checking through short-form video and partnerships with influential content creators. These initiatives represent a shift toward meeting audiences where they live online, making critical literacy accessible rather than academic. Leaving Vilnius, the delegates carried more than just new technical strategies; they departed with a reinforced sense of global solidarity. In a time where the “truth” is constantly under threat, the consensus was clear: through education, collaboration, and unyielding persistence, the fight to keep our information environment healthy is not just a job—it is a duty to the future of society itself.