FACT Aotearoa News Briefs 27 April 2026

No time to lose: Liberal democracies can win the cognitive and hybrid war against authoritarians
The Institute for Strategic Dialogue argues that liberal democracies must urgently adapt their strategies to effectively counter the hybrid warfare and cognitive manipulation used by authoritarian regimes.
https://www.isdglobal.org/digital-dispatch/no-time-to-lose-liberal-democracies-can-win-the-cognitive-and-hybrid-war-against-authoritarians/

FIMI and disinformation as global threats - EUvsDisinfo
Global risk assessments identify foreign information manipulation and interference as a systemic threat undermining democratic institutions worldwide.
https://euvsdisinfo.eu/fimi-and-disinformation-as-global-threats/

Polarization in the Public Square: Bridging Canada’s Divides | Digital Public Square
A conference in Canada explored how digital environments and algorithmic echo chambers fuel political polarisation, hate, and democratic distrust.
https://digitalpublicsquare.org/insights/polarization-in-the-public-square

Vaccine Skepticism Has Risen in the U.S.—And in Many Other Countries | Council on Foreign Relations
Global vaccine confidence is declining due to misinformation and political polarisation, with far-right movements increasingly influencing health policy.
https://www.cfr.org/articles/vaccine-skepticism-has-risen-in-the-u-s-and-in-many-other-countries