VOST Europe is a volunteer-driven network of Virtual Operations Support Teams operating across several European countries, including Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Slovakia, and Greece. The network supports crisis communication and information verification during emergencies by monitoring online information ecosystems, identifying misleading narratives, and amplifying verified information from trusted sources.

During the reporting period, Europe experienced several significant natural disasters and extreme weather events that generated substantial online information activity. These included the highly destructive Storm Kristin in Portugal, which caused extensive infrastructure damage and widespread power outages, as well as Storm Leonardo, which triggered severe flooding across Portugal and Spain. Additional extreme weather events affected other parts of Europe, including flooding and severe thunderstorms in southern France and major winter storm systems impacting France and Germany.

Such events create environments where information uncertainty is high and misleading narratives can spread rapidly online. During the reporting period, VOST Europe and its national teams monitored online discussions related to these disasters, identifying and documenting misleading or inaccurate content, including the circulation of outdated disaster imagery, speculative narratives regarding causes of incidents, and incorrect information about emergency response measures.

Particular attention was given to wildfire incidents in Portugal, where disinformation narratives circulated widely across social media platforms. Volunteers monitored these narratives, documented misleading content, and supported the dissemination of verified information originating from civil protection authorities and official emergency communication channels.

VOST Europe continued to contribute to the implementation of the European Commission’s Code of Practice on Disinformation by participating in the permanent Task Force and collaborating with civil society organisations, researchers, and other stakeholders working to address disinformation. The organisation also continued to support transparency initiatives associated with the Code, including the maintenance and use of the Transparency Centre for publishing monitoring reports.

Through its volunteer network, operational monitoring activities, and awareness initiatives, VOST Europe contributes to strengthening societal resilience against disinformation during crisis situations and supports the availability of reliable information during emergencies.