About Us
We initiate institutional projects that operate under their own distinct brands, such as CyberHUB-AM, dpHUB-AM, CyberChat, moderAItor, and others.
The Media Diversity Institute strives to leverage the potential of traditional media, social media, and emerging technologies to protect human rights, promote the development of a democratic civil society, amplify the voices of the voiceless, and deepen collective understanding of the diverse expressions of social diversity.
Մեր աջակիցները
Our Network and Memberships
The Media Diversity Institute is a member of:
Media Diversity Institute (MDI) is an international organization that promotes accurate, in depth, and inclusive media coverage of issues related to race, religion, ethnicity, social class, age, disability, gender, and sexual identity across different countries around the world.
The #KeepItOn coalition brings together hundreds of civil society organizations and partners from around the world, including representatives from governments, international institutions, media, the private sector, and other fields, to jointly advocate for an end to internet shutdowns.
The CiviCERT Computer Incident Response Center is a global network of civil society organizations that strengthens the resilience of civil society through trusted collaboration, shared infrastructure and resources, and the joint analysis of existing digital threats.
The Spyware Accountability Initiative (SAI) is a global fund that supports civil society organizations working to expose and prevent the abuse of spyware. It operates within the New Venture Fund as part of The Ford Foundation’s Dignity and Justice Fund, and strengthens the capacity of researchers and human rights defenders to protect human rights from digital surveillance.
Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI) is a non profit, open source initiative that documents cases of internet censorship around the world. The organization’s mission is to support the protection of a free and open internet at the global level.
The A4E Counter Disinformation Network (CDN) is a pan European collaborative initiative aimed at preventing, detecting, and countering information manipulation. It brings together OSINT researchers, journalists, fact checkers, academics, and other experts along with their organizations.
inFact is an Armenian initiative that brings together leading media outlets and media organizations in Armenia under one umbrella to conduct fact checking and combat disinformation. It also contributes to strengthening citizens’ fact checking skills and media literacy.
The Media Diversity Institute has signed the Code of Ethical Principles of the Media Self Regulation Initiative, thereby joining the media self regulation initiative in support of ethical, responsible, and objective journalism and in defense of human rights.
Our History
First Activity
The Media Diversity Institute – Armenia (MDI) has been implementing programs in Armenia since 2003, serving as the Armenian representative of the London based Media Diversity Institute.
Registration in Armenia
In 2006, the organization was officially registered in Armenia, with representatives of the British organization serving on its board, while operating as an independent non governmental organization.
CyberHUB-AM Initiative
The mission of the Media Diversity Institute is to protect the digital rights of civil society organizations, human rights defenders, journalists, media outlets, and the broader public, including children, teenagers, and their caregivers, in Armenia, the region, and Eastern Europe. We pursue this mission by promoting digital security, cybersecurity awareness, freedom of expression, open and secure internet access, personal data protection, and responsible advocacy.
To advance this mission, MDI established CyberHUB-AM, a specialized initiative that operates both as a cybersecurity incident response team and as a digital forensics and research lab, supporting civil society organizations, human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and independent media.
dpHUB-AM Initiative
In addition to its cybersecurity and digital security initiatives, the Media Diversity Institute has established dpHUB-AM, a data protection platform focused on safeguarding personal data and privacy in Armenia.
dpHUB-AM supports public institutions, private sector actors, and civil society organizations through consultations, trainings, capacity building, and data protection compliance audits. The initiative also conducts advocacy, research, case studies, and analysis of legislation related to data protection, while developing policy recommendations and documents aimed at strengthening privacy safeguards and responsible data governance.
dpHUB-AM operates in close collaboration with MDI’s CyberHUB-AM incident response team.
CyberChat Initiative
Since 2025, within the framework of its CyberHUB-AM initiative, the Media Diversity Institute has partnered with UNICEF Armenia to develop CyberChat, the first digital safety support platform for children and adolescents in Armenia.
CyberChat aims to help children and adolescents under the age of 18, as well as their parents, understand online risks and learn how to protect themselves. The platform combines prevention and support tools, including educational materials, a helpline, and an anonymous chat service, enabling users not only to learn and stay alert but also to receive technical, legal, and psychological assistance when facing online challenges.
Its overarching goal is to strengthen digital literacy and ensure that no child, adolescent, parent, or caregiver feels alone when confronting digital threats and challenges.
moderAItor Initiative
During 2025–2026, the All for Equal Rights Foundation (All Rights Foundation), in cooperation with the Media Diversity Institute and its CyberHUB-AM initiative, jointly developed moderAItor, an artificial intelligence powered tool for moderating online hate speech.
The moderAItor tool enables media outlets and civil society actors to moderate their Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages in real time. The tool analyzes Armenian language content written in Armenian, Latin, and Cyrillic scripts, identifies instances of hate speech, and classifies them according to the nature and grounds of the hate speech. It also allows automated moderation of content, including removing, deleting, or sending comments for review.
In parallel, the tool generates large volumes of statistical data, presenting trends and patterns through chronological analysis.
This initiative contributes to combating online hate speech in Armenia while strengthening the capacities of media organizations through the introduction of new technologies.
To achieve this mission, MDI has defined a clear and targeted strategy. We work across the following strategic directions.
Capacity Building
We conduct digital security capacity building trainings for civil society organizations, media outlets, human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and teachers at basic, intermediate, and advanced levels. We also provide specialized awareness programs for children and teenagers, helping them recognize, prevent, and report online risks and harmful behavior.
Secure Infrastructure
We support organizations and individuals in strengthening their digital and physical infrastructure by protecting both office environments and personal digital data, including secure online spaces designed for minors and educational institutions.
Advocacy and Policy Reform
We advocate for strengthening the legal framework around digital rights, including internet freedom, freedom of expression, privacy, data protection, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence. We also support the development of policies aimed at improving the digital wellbeing and online safety of children and young people.
Digital Literacy and Critical Thinking
We promote digital literacy, cybersecurity awareness, media literacy, and critical thinking among diverse audiences, from journalists and civil society actors to parents, teachers, and youth.
Fact Checking and Countering Disinformation
We counter disinformation and manipulation by developing fact checking tools and providing reliable, evidence based information.
To ensure the effectiveness of this strategy, MDI actively collaborates with a wide range of stakeholders, including local and international partners, donors, diplomatic missions, government institutions, policymakers, and the expert community. We serve as a communication bridge among these stakeholders, facilitating dialogue, coordination, and mutual trust.
We also work with businesses and social enterprises, encouraging them to implement corporate social responsibility through targeted and sustainable programs. Through these partnerships, we help ensure that civil society institutions remain resilient, sustainable, and continuously capable of fulfilling their mission.