NEWS

Eastern Europe Technology and Pop Culture Challenge

Both public and political actors have a profoundly emotional relationship with democracy and democratic values. Their attitudes and behaviors are shaped not only by the information they receive, but also by their aspirations, hopes, fears, and the cultural, educational, and religious contexts in which they operate. Thus, it is not surprising that the principal targets of foreign disinformation and propaganda are the normative aspects of our societies that pose a threat to trust, cohesion, and security. As a result, we need content-based solutions to counter foreign disinformation narratives and promote positive attitudes towards democracy and democratic values.

Background

DT Institute implements the Department of State’s Global Engagement Center-funded Information Access Fund (IAF) Sub-Award Mechanism. IAF supports civil society organizations and independent media across Europe in confronting foreign disinformation and propaganda. Since its inception in March 2020, the IAF has focused on countering disinformation and propaganda through research, fact-checking, an increased supply of verified and accurate information, and media literacy programs. To date, IAF has supported the work of over 20 organizations and independent media outlets in Spain, Italy, The Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus, and Serbia. In addition to providing financial assistance, DT Institute and IAF provide technical and research assistance to their partners and support their strategy development and coalition building.

In support of its mandate, IAF created the Eastern Europe Technology and Pop Challenge to demonstrate and support solutions that combine tech and pop culture content to address and counter foreign propaganda and disinformation.

The Eastern Europe Technology and Pop Culture Challenge will be held in collaboration with The Alliance of Democracies Foundation, a European non-profit founded in 2017 by former NATO Secretary-General and Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who will help select awardees and promote winning proposals among European governments in the context of election integrity projects. The United States Department of State Global Engagement Center will offer a partnership and continued funding for the submisison of of up to $100,000 for a single winner, or a total of $150,000 for two winners in total if more than one solution is selected for funding. Eligibility for the award is open to all organizations, and companies operating and registered in Europe and the United States of America.

Challenge Statement

This challenge seeks applicants to demonstrate rapidly deployable, novel solutions that combine technology and pop culture content to counter major foreign disinformation narratives, especially those targeting democratic institutions, processes, actors, and values. The proposals may feature solutions such as:

Interactive “web-only” content, including prototypes that integrate anti-disinformation narratives with various content genres (i.e., educational, DIY, self-help, sports, entertainment, etc.);
A peer-to-peer global learning and resource platform for the promotion of human rights and democratic values through pop culture;
Blueprints for tech solutions that help content creators and civil society to better analyze and target their audiences;
Mobile (Android, iOS) games that improve media literacy and/or promote anti-disinformation narratives;
VR/AR technology to improve media literacy; or
Other types of solutions.

The intended end-users of the proposed solutions are civil society organizations, independent media, content creators, and creative professionals from Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans that are actively countering state-sponsored disinformation and propaganda. Thus, all proposed solutions need to be easy to use, maintain, modify, and customize and need to be designed to ensure a high adoption rate by the intended end-users.

Challenge Structure

Challenge Type: Development of proposals, presentations, and demonstrations of technology and pop culture solutions

Competition Phases:

Development of Proposals
Presentations and Demonstrations of Pop Culture Solutions
Competition Phases Announcement
Tech/ Pop Culture Content Solutions
Contest Selection of up to eight tech/ pop culture content solutions
Presentation of shortlisted tech/ pop culture content solutions at the online event
Selection of the winning solution(s)
Funding to produce the winning solution(s)

Timeline (Subject to adjustment)

Announcement – April 15, 2022
Deadline for questions – April 19, 2022
Virtual Q&A and Proposal Support Sessions, April 20 – 23, 2022
Application deadline – May 13, 2022
Selection of the top solutions – May 20, 2022
Presentation and demonstration of solutions – May 27, 2022
Winner announcement – May 30, 2022

Incentives and Support

A grant of up to $100,000 for a single winner, or up to $150,000 in total if more than one winner is selected

Setting for the Competition

15-minute online demonstrations/presentations of tech/ pop culture content solution to selection panel with 10 minutes for questions and answers

Eligibility

Eligibility for the award is open to organizations, and companies operating and registered in Europe and the United States of America. Applicants from Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans, including participants from the IAF priority countries (i.e., Belarus, Moldova, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine) are strongly encouraged to apply. Furthermore, solutions developed through collaboration between content creators, tech companies, and entities specialized in debunking foreign disinformation and propaganda will be given priority.

Applications that propose tech solutions focusing on news content production will not be considered under the Eastern Europe Technology and Pop Culture Challenge. All applicants shall send their proposals, including organizational registration information and any questions to iafchallenge@dt-institute.org by 11:59 PM CET on May 6, 2022 (5:59 PM EST).

Submission Process and Criteria for Selection

Phase I: Tech/ Pop Culture Content Solutions Contest

The Eastern Europe Technology and Pop Culture Challenge invites eligible contestants to submit a proposal outlining their tech/ pop culture content solution. Content proposals can vary in style, form, and length. All submissions will be considered, including graphic, video, and audio submissions. However, each proposal should be accompanied by a two-page written project summary that outlines the target audience(s), disinformation narratives the solution seeks to counter, intended outcomes (e.g., raising awareness, shifting attitudes, influencing behaviors), how impact will be measured, and a brief explanation of the approach (scientific, applied storytelling, and other techniques) used to produce the solution.

A panel of DT Institute and the Alliances of Democracies Foundation staff, and regional subject matter experts will review proposals and select contestants to participate in Phase II: Presentation and Demonstration of Technology and Pop Culture Solutions at the virtual event. No more than eight submissions will receive an invitation to Phase II.

Scoring Criteria for phase i

The panel will shortlist up to eight project proposals with the highest scores for Phase II. Proposals will be ranked using the following Scoring Criteria:

Potential for impact on countering propaganda and disinformation (30%)
Demonstrable immediate usefulness of the technology (20%)
Rapid ability and capabilities to make technology available for use (20%)
Experience developing similar technological solutions (10%)
Innovative approach for countering propaganda and disinformation (10%)
The budget shows a reasonable ratio between administrative and direct project costs (6%)
The company is located in the region of interest (4%)

Phase III: Presentation and Demonstration of Tech/ Pop Culture Content Solutions

DT Institute will invite eight shortlisted applicants from Phase I to present their Creative Solutions during the virtual Pop Culture Challenge event. The judging panel will be comprised of DT Institute and the Alliance of Democracies Foundation staff, regional subject matter experts, and U.S. Government representatives.

Each applicant will have 15-minutes to present their tech/ pop culture content solution and demonstrate proof-of-concept before the judging panel and 10 minutes for questions and answers. The tech/ pop culture content solution(s) with the highest potential for impact, sustainability, and low-cost production; highest quality scientific approach behind the solution; and an overall innovative approach to countering adversarial propaganda and disinformation will be selected as the winner(s).

The United States Department of State Global Engagement Center will award one grant of up to $100,000 for a single winner, or two grants of up to $150,000 in total if more than one solution is selected for funding.

Phase IV: Scoring Criteria

Demonstrations and Presentations will be ranked using the following Scoring Criteria:

Potential for impact on countering propaganda and disinformation (30%)
Demonstrable immediate usefulness of the technology (20%)
Rapid ability and capabilities to make technology available for use (20%)
Experience developing similar technological solutions (10%)
Innovative approach for countering propaganda and disinformation (10%)
The budget shows a reasonable ratio between administrative and direct project costs (6%)
The company is located in the region of interest (4%)

Disclaimers

Registered participants shall be required to agree to assume any and all risks and waive claims against the U.S. Federal Government and its related entities, except in the case of willful misconduct, for any injury, death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits, whether direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from their participation in a prize competition, whether the injury, death, damage, or loss occurs through negligence or otherwise.