CEDMO

What CEDMO does

CEDMO (Central European Digital Media Observatory) is an independent, non-partisan research consortium hosted at Charles University in Prague, established on 1 October 2021 to combat disinformation across Central Europe. The consortium coordinates 13 member organizations across the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland — including fact-checkers (Demagog.cz, Demagog.sk, Demagog.pl, AFP), academic researchers (Charles University, Czech Technical University, Kempelen Institute of Intelligent Technologies, SWPS University), OSINT specialists (Bellingcat), policy experts (GLOBSEC), media literacy organizations (NASK), and technical infrastructure provider (Athens Technology Center). Its core outputs include AI-supported fact-checking tools (Check-worthy Document Detector, Factual Claim Extraction, Fact-check Finder, and Fact Search) developed by KInIT and CTU; multilingual NLP models supporting Czech, Slovak, and Polish; the CEDMO Game for media literacy and adversarial data collection; quarterly CEDMO Fact-checking Briefs and monthly EDMO Briefs; and the CEDMO Trends longitudinal panel research tracking media-consumption behavior across CZ and SK.

The consortium operates a community-led go-to-market model: outputs are provided free of charge to civil society, journalists, public institutions, educators, and researchers, with distribution via a multi-language website, social channels, the WeVerify/InVid/vera.ai browser plugin integration, the EDMO network, and annual CEDMO International Conferences (CIC). Revenue is non-commercial and derives from European Commission grants under the DIGITAL-2023-DEPLOY-04 call (project 101158609), the National Recovery Plan of the Czech Republic, and Slovakia's MIT CEDMO 2.0 NPO project (following Google's withdrawal from Slovak funding in November 2024). The organization is governed by an Advisory Board, Strategy Board, and Project Executive Board, and positions itself within the EU's regulatory ecosystem around the Digital Services Act.

Name

CEDMO

Legal name

Central European Digital Media Observatory (CEDMO)

Website

https://cedmohub.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CEDMO is an EU-funded research consortium at Charles University coordinating 13 fact-checking, academic, and OSINT organizations across Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland to detect disinformation, develop AI verification tools, and deliver media-literacy programs to civil society, journalists, educators, and policymakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disinformation Research and Media Literacy

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Data & Information Literacy (Search, Evaluation, Misinformation) (EDAAAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Inclusion & Public Tech Access Training (Device/Internet/Basic IT) (EDAAAFAE), EdTech & Digital Learning Policy Research (EDADADAK)

Keywords

• Disinformation research
• AI fact-checking tools
• Media literacy programs
• Multilingual NLP verification
• Digital media observatory

Headquarters

HQ city

Prague

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. EU Research Funding: Primary funding from European Commission under DIGITAL-2023-DEPLOY-04 call (project number 101158609). The consortium has also received funding from EU Recovery and Resilience Instruments Programme and National Recovery Plan for Czech Republic activities.
2. National/Regional Funding: CEDMO Trends longitudinal research in Czech Republic conducted with support from National Recovery Plan and Median. Slovakia research supported by Google (until November 2024) and subsequently by MIT 60273/24/21300/21000 CEDMO 2.0 NPO project.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CEDMO is a research consortium that develops AI-powered fact-checking tools, conducts longitudinal research on disinformation, produces media literacy educational programs, and coordinates fact-checking activities across Central Europe. It provides free access to multilingual verification tools, research publications, and training resources for civil society, media organizations, public institutions, and educators in Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland.

Product overview

CEDMO (Central European Digital Media Observatory) is a multidisciplinary consortium at Charles University focused on digital transformation and combating disinformation in Central Europe. The organization operates as a platform-plus-services model consisting of: (1) AI-Supported Fact-checking Tools including Check-worthy Document Detector, Factual Claim Extraction, Fact-check Finder, and Fact Search for automated misinformation detection; (2) CEDMO Game for educational and data collection purposes; (3) CEDMO Fact-checking Briefs and EDMO Fact-checking Briefs providing quarterly and monthly disinformation narrative analysis; (4) CEDMO Trends longitudinal research panel; (5) Media Literacy Programs with educational resources, campaigns, and training; (6) Research Publications in three formats (Coffee Beans, Espresso, Latte); and (7) open-access Publications & Datasets. The consortium includes 13 member organizations including fact-checkers (Demagog.cz/sk/pl, AFP), researchers (KInIT, CTU, SWPS), and technical partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CEDMO Trends: A unique longitudinal panel research conducted in Czech Republic (30 months, supported by National Recovery Plan and Median) and Slovakia (started September 2023, planned for 24 months, supported by Google and Ipsos) focusing on population behavior in consuming different types of media content and information disorders.
• CEDMO Fact-checking Briefs
• Coffee Beans
• Espresso
• Latte

Products and services

• AI-Supported Fact-checking Tools Suite of AI-powered fact-checking tools for fact-checkers and media organizations. Built on state-of-the-art AI models supporting Czech, Slovak, and Polish languages, it streamlines the fact-checking workflow from identifying check-worthy content to verifying claims.
• CEDMO Game Educational game for media literacy developed by KINIT that serves dual purposes: familiarizing players with misinformative content characteristics and collecting adversarial examples to strengthen AI-based misinformation detection tools.
• CEDMO Fact-checking Briefs Quarterly briefs providing an overview of verified disinformation narratives in Central Europe, summarizing work of fact-checking organizations (AFP, Demagog.pl, Demagog.cz, Demagog.sk) and CEDMO Trends longitudinal survey data.
• EDMO Fact-checking Briefs Monthly briefs providing an overview of verified disinformation narratives reported across Europe, summarizing work of fact-checking organisations in the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) network.
• CEDMO Trends Unique longitudinal panel research tracking population behavior in media consumption and information disorders in Czech Republic (30 months) and Slovakia (24 months). Produces in-depth research outputs on how citizens engage with media content.
• Media Literacy Programs Comprehensive media literacy initiatives covering fact-checking education, media education, research and insights, campaigns, and events across Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia. Designed for educators, students, parents, and public sector communicators.
• Research Publications (Coffee Beans, Espresso, Latte) Three-tiered research publication format offering: Coffee Beans (1-3 pages) for quick insights, Espresso (policy briefs 15-25 pages) for concentrated analysis, and Latte (academic papers 25-40 pages) for in-depth research on disinformation and media literacy topics.
• AFP Digital Investigation Training Modules Open-access digital courses developed by AFP with Google News Initiative support, providing practical training in online investigation and verification skills across three levels: Basics, Intermediate, and Advanced. Available in multiple languages.
• InVID-WeVerify Verification Plugin Browser plugin for verifying videos, images, and multimedia content. Recommended by CEDMO as an essential tool for fact-checkers, with Fact-check Finder integrated into the tools section.
• Publications & Datasets Open-access publications and datasets including MultiClaim multilingual fact-check retrieval dataset, SlovakBERT, and research on auditing YouTube recommendation algorithms for misinformation filter bubbles.
• Fact-checking Archives Repository Multilingual repository of archived fact-checks with search and filter capabilities, allowing data export for further processing. Provides access to historical fact-checking data across multiple European languages.
• Disinformation Awareness Campaigns Targeted campaigns including influencer-led youth campaigns, 'Be Election Smart' voter education, 'Be Online Smart' algorithm awareness, and 'Doctors Out Loud' health misinformation campaigns.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 22,000 political statements fact-checked since 2010
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability9 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Charles University (Lead Coordinator)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021Charles University serves as the lead coordinator of the CEDMO consortium, hosting the main office and providing administrative infrastructure. Václav Moravec serves as Lead Coordinator. Responsible for overall project management, strategic direction, and coordination of 13 consortium members across three countries.
• Demagog.czcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCzech fact-checking platform operating since 2012. Responsible for daily fact-checking of Czech political statements and social media content, serving as third-party fact-checker for Meta. Signatory to IFCN Code of Principles and member of European Fact-Checking Standards Network.
• Demagog.skcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlovak fact-checking organization operating since 2010. Has fact-checked more than 22,000 statements and debunked more than 300 disinformation items. Signatory to IFCN Code of Principles and verified member of EFCSN.
• Demagog.plcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPoland's first fact-checking organization operating since 2014. Verifies statements by politicians, analyzes media information, and publishes 'Obiektyw' quarterly magazine on disinformation. Signatory to IFCN and EFCSN standards.
• Agence France-Presse (AFP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal news agency providing digital verification expertise and rapid response to disinformation. Signatory to IFCN code of principles. Provides training modules on digital investigation techniques available in multiple languages.
• BellingcatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch investigative journalism group specializing in open-source intelligence (OSINT) verification. Provides expertise in verifying information using publicly available sources to complement fact-checking activities.
• Kempelen Institute of Intelligent Technologies (KInIT)coreTechnology or IntegrationSlovak research institute developing AI-based tools for fact-checking support. Created check-worthy document detector, claim extraction tools, fact-check finder, and CEDMO game. Expertise in generative AI, NLP, and machine learning.
• Czech Technical University (CTU)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical university contributing expertise in AI development, deepfake detection, and verification technologies. Organized workshops on latest developments in deepfake detection.
• University of Social Sciences and Humanities (SWPS)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish university researching main disinformation narratives and their impact on society and democratic functioning. Conducts academic studies and provides expert analysis of societal impacts.
• GLOBSECsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlovak think tank focusing on activities related to increasing state resilience to disinformation and strengthening media literacy through educational workshops. Also involved in regulatory activities and created Communication Handbook for Public Administration.
• NASKsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish National Research Institute responsible for strengthening and improving media literacy activities. Creates practical guides on climate disinformation and electoral disinformation.
• Athens Technology Center (ATC)secondaryTechnology or IntegrationGreek technology company providing technical infrastructure for the consortium. Contributes to platform development and technical operations.
• SeesamesecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerSlovak PR agency involved in the project's communication activities and media outreach in the Slovak market.
• MediansecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCzech research agency implementing CEDMO Trends longitudinal panel research in Czech Republic. Conducting 30-month panel study on media consumption and information disorders, funded by National Recovery Plan.
• IpsossecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research agency conducting CEDMO Trends longitudinal survey in Slovakia (since September 2023, 24-month program). Previously funded by Google; now supported by MIT CEDMO 2.0 NPO project.
• European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPan-European network coordination body that CEDMO works with to jointly minimize impact of adverse information phenomena. CEDMO is part of the EDMO regional hubs network across the EU.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EDMO (European Digital Media Observatory): EDMO is the pan-European coordination hub of which CEDMO is itself a regional member. Both organizations pursue the same mission—combating disinformation through research, fact-checking, and media literacy across Europe—making EDMO CEDMO's closest structural peer.
• EU DisinfoLab: EU DisinfoLab is an independent research NGO focused on tackling disinformation across Europe. It shares CEDMO's research, policy-advocacy, and threat-analysis orientation, with overlapping fact-checking, academic publications, and EU policy engagement.
• Bellingcat: Bellingcat is an OSINT-driven investigative group and is both a CEDMO consortium partner and a peer organization. Both groups conduct open-source verification of disinformation narratives and produce public-interest investigations using similar methodologies.
• Full Fact: Full Fact is a UK-based fact-checking organization that combines AI-assisted claim detection with policy advocacy and media-literacy programs—closely mirroring CEDMO's hybrid AI/research/education model in a different region.
• Duke Reporters' Lab: Duke Reporters' Lab tracks global fact-checking infrastructure and develops tools such as ClaimBuster; it overlaps with CEDMO's fact-checking workflow automation and academic research on fact-checking ecosystems.
• Maldita.es: Maldita.es is an IFCN-signatory Spanish fact-checking and media-literacy platform. It operates a comparable blend of daily fact-checking, training programs, and disinformation research that CEDMO provides for Central Europe.
• Agence France-Presse (AFP) Fact Check: AFP is a CEDMO consortium partner but also a peer. AFP Fact Check is one of the world's largest digital verification operations, and its training modules are distributed through CEDMO—making it a direct fact-checking peer.
• Demagog.cz: Demagog.cz is a CEDMO consortium partner and an IFCN-signatory Czech fact-checker. As both collaborator and operational peer, it competes for mindshare and fact-checking outputs in the Czech market CEDMO serves.

Emerging players

• NewsGuard: NewsGuard provides trust ratings for news sources and media-literacy tools, addressing misinformation at a different layer of the stack. Its commercial model and journalistic credibility ratings overlap with CEDMO's media-literacy mission but differ in monetization approach.

Broad incumbents

• PolitiFact: PolitiFact is a Pulitzer Prize-winning US fact-checking platform and a flagship IFCN signatory. While operating in a different geography, its research methodology, fact-check output structure, and Truth-O-Meter concept broadly align with CEDMO's fact-checking product.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CEDMOhub
• Facebookfacebook.com/cedmohub
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cedmo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CEDMO