Action Plan for Societal Resilience Against Disinformation and Polarization

More than 40 international experts from Europe, the United States and New Zealand agreed on an action plan to strengthen communicative resilience. The first implementation projects in education, journalism, policy and civil protection are already underway.

Action Plan at a Glance

Society Needs More Than Endurance

Resilience is often described as the ability to withstand crises. At the EISCOM Crisis Resilience Summit, held from 8–10 September 2025 in Altdorf, Switzerland, more than 40 international experts argued that resilience requires something more fundamental: the ability of people and institutions to communicate constructively under pressure.

Following the summit, EISCOM officially adopted an action plan designed to strengthen communicative resilience across society. The initiative brings together science, politics, journalism and civil protection to address the growing threats posed by disinformation and societal polarization.

Society at a Crossroads

During the summit, risk researcher Prof. Dr. Ortwin Renn described today's situation as a defining moment for democratic societies. Security, the common good and democracy, he argued, are increasingly under pressure from complex global risks that no single institution can address alone.

"Society is at a crossroads." Prof. Dr. Ortwin Renn

Renn emphasized that science must provide actionable options for decision-makers, while policymakers must become more capable of integrating scientific evidence into political processes. Strengthening resilience therefore requires reforms on both sides of the science–policy interface.

Trust Is Built Slowly—And Lost Quickly

Social psychologist and disinformation expert Dr. Jon Roozenbeek of the University of Cambridge reminded participants that resilience ultimately depends on one fragile resource: trust.

"Trust comes on foot and leaves on horseback." Dr. Jon Roozenbeek, University of Cambridge

In an era of information warfare and rapidly spreading misinformation, trust can be undermined in a matter of moments. Rebuilding it, however, requires sustained effort, evidence-based communication and institutions that people consider credible. Protecting trust, participants agreed, is therefore not a secondary objective—it is central to safeguarding democratic societies.

First Aid for Society

According to Prof. Dr. Annegret Hannawa, founder and President of EISCOM, the action plan is an immediate response to the growing erosion of social cohesion observed across many democracies. Increasingly polarized public discourse and manipulative information environments are making it harder for people to engage constructively across differences.

Rather than merely responding to the consequences of disinformation and polarization, the action plan seeks to strengthen the communication capabilities that enable societies to prevent fragmentation before it takes hold. EISCOM therefore describes the first implementation projects as "first aid measures" for strengthening communicative resilience in schools, journalism, public policy and civil protection.

The Action Plan

Communicative Resilience in Schools

Evidence-based prevention programmes, including educational tools such as the Bad News game, help young people build resilience against disinformation in a playful and evidence-informed way. An EISCOM working group will coordinate the implementation of these measures and support their long-term scientific evaluation.

Digital Civil Protection

New concepts will adapt secure internet architectures such as SCION to the public sphere, creating safe communication spaces that strengthen information integrity and democratic discourse.

"We need to invest more in information security and integrity and establish safe communication spaces for democratic discourse." Prof. Dr. Christiane Eilders, Director of the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS)

These trusted communication spaces are intended to support the dissemination of evidence-based information while reducing the influence of hate speech, manipulation and other destructive communication practices.

Scientific Policy Advice

The action plan proposes new regional and national forums for exchange between science and politics, alongside innovative formats such as foresight workshops and decision theatres. It also includes programmes to prepare scientists for political processes and training for policymakers on navigating polarizing issues.

Resilience-Building Journalism

Alongside a synthesis of scientific evidence, the action plan calls for an experimental pilot study on depolarization, the development of guidelines and training programmes for newsrooms and journalism schools, and stronger alliances between education, politics, science, the arts and the media.

"People don't want more news, faster news, or more shows featuring politicians shouting at each other. They want someone they can trust, someone who brings order to the chaos, and someone who enables public debate about how to solve problems in their communities." Ulrik Haagerup, CEO of Constructive Institute

Haagerup argued that journalism must move beyond amplifying conflict and instead strengthen society's capacity to understand complex issues and engage in constructive public dialogue. "We call this form of reporting Constructive Journalism," he concluded, "and its time has come."

Looking Ahead

The Crisis Resilience Summit demonstrated what becomes possible when experts from science, policy, journalism, technology and civil society come together around a shared purpose. Rather than ending with recommendations, the summit concluded with an action plan and a commitment to implementation.

The first projects are already underway. Together, they represent the beginning of a long-term effort to strengthen communicative resilience against disinformation, polarization and future societal crises—and to rebuild trust where it is most needed.