Decoding Disinformation Impact Frameworks and Indicators: A Comparative Study

This September 2025 EU DisinfoLab study addresses a chronic methodological weakness in the counter-disinformation field: the absence of consistent, comparable frameworks for assessing the impact of disinformation. The study maps existing impact assessment frameworks, documents their definitional inconsistencies and measurement gaps, and proposes standardised indicators that would enable more systematic comparison across contexts.

Without consistent impact measurement, it is impossible to determine whether counter-disinformation interventions are working or to allocate resources rationally. For researchers designing impact studies and for policymakers commissioning evaluations of counter-disinformation programmes, this study provides the most current available methodology guidance.