Let’s be honest: most of us in the UK don’t think twice about what it means to live in a democracy. We grumble about politicians, roll our eyes at party scandals, and assume that elections, courts and the rule of law will always be there. It’s a comfortable assumption, reinforced by the fact that, as the Bayeux Tapestry reminds us, nobody has successfully invaded this island since 1066. Spend a few days in Lithuania, though, and that complacency starts to crack. I was in Vilnius last week as a guest of cybersecurity company Surfshark, attending #Disinfo2026, a conference dedicated to…

The way we consume news has changed dramatically in the digital age. There was a time when people waited for the morning newspaper to land on their doorstep, or tuned in to the evening broadcast at a set hour. Today, news is everywhere, all the time, streaming through our phones, laptops, and social media feeds. This constant access to information is remarkable, but it also comes with a heavy responsibility. With so many stories circulating across every platform, it is only wise to approach what we read with a healthy dose of skepticism. We should ask questions, check sources, and…