Surfshark Backs Disinfo2026 After EU, Canada and Lithuania Withdraw Over Political Pressure

In a statement reported by TechRadar, Surfshark explained its decision to continue sponsoring the annual event, which addresses disinformation and online deception. The company said open debate must never be silenced and is essential for building a safer internet. It added that it would continue supporting communities working to keep the internet open and secure.

The two-day conference was organized by EU Disinfo Lab, an independent Brussels-based non-profit, and held at a hotel in Vilnius, Lithuania. It brought together hundreds of researchers, journalists, technologists and policymakers to collaborate on countering disinformation.

The Guardian reported that the Trump administration pressured several countries to withdraw their sponsorship. Canada, Lithuania and the EU’s diplomatic service retracted their backing a few days before the event took place. According to documents seen by the newspaper, the pressure centered on a panel discussion in which the US was reportedly regarded as “a foreign information threat.” The debate focused on how the European community, committed to combating disinformation, could strengthen its resilience without Washington; three US speakers took part, including a former CIA official.

After the countries said in a statement that the conference program “didn’t align with their official views on the US role in disinformation,” logos including those of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European External Action Service and Global Affairs Canada were taken down from the event website. The logos were removed from the event’s signage at such short notice that organizers had no time to replace it and had to improvise a quick fix, with official conference materials left bearing white stickers covering the departing sponsors’ logos, as photos circulating online show. Surfshark’s logo remained visible.

During the event, Surfshark presented research carried out with students from Malmö University. The study found that over half of those surveyed were unable to identify bots or distinguish between social media accounts generated by AI and those managed by real people, leaving them vulnerable to digital threats. It also highlighted how false content contributes to a climate of mistrust, disinformation and hostile and malicious online environments. Recent Surfshark research found that more than 6.3 billion fake accounts are removed from major social media platforms annually, and that AI exacerbates the problem by facilitating scams involving identity theft, fraudulent calls, financial fraud and disinformation spreading.

Surfshark emphasized that fostering open debate remains crucial for raising public awareness of these issues, regardless of diplomatic complexities. “We believe that independent forums examining digital threats must continue to exist – regardless of geopolitical sensitivities – because cybersecurity concerns everyone, and digital risks know no borders,” the VPN said.