On 19/04/2924 at “Pane Quotidiano- Locanda del Samaritano” in Catania, an event of the FACT project took place. The event from approximately 5pm to 7.30pm was attended by representatives from various associations together with the writer Alessandro De Filippo, who wrote book “Propaganda Lampedusa”. The afternoon session was divided into two parts; the first featured the presentation of the Co.P.E and the FACT project carried out by the director Manuele Manente and the project manager Andrea Zalabaiova, the second focused on the creation and discussion of the working groups. The first group analyzed the theme of migration, the second group dealt with the theme of environment. At the end of the event, a plenary discussion of what emerged within each individual group took place. In both groups several important ideas on new policies were proposed. The afternoon session ended at around 7.30pm, participants said they were enthusiastic about participating in this event.

On 30/04/2024, at the University of Catania, COPE has organized second event of the WP6, in this case focused on students and debate related to right to vote and possible policy proposals in the view of the upcoming EU Parliament elections. The event took place from 10 to 12 a.m. After initial presentation of the project, CERV programme, EU Parliament elections, students discussed the threat of the fake news and disinformation and how this can negatively influence the democracies and of the significance of voting to EU parliament this year. Finally, students participated in the sub-groups discussing different ideas on the policy proposals followed by the discussion in plenary. The final part of the event was dedicated to the general conclusions and the collection of student feedback. They state that they found the proposed activity interesting, especially due to the concreteness of the proposals implemented; in particular they found the reflection and discussion with other groups very useful regarding the gap that is often created between the proposed idea and its concrete realization; furthermore, by highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each proposal, they had the opportunity to carefully correct every single proposal.

The meeting was attended by a group of expert from the University of the Third Age in Tarnowskie Góry, Poland. The primary aim of the event was to deepen their understanding of the multifaceted roles and functions of mass media, including both well-known and lesser-known aspects. Key topics of discussion included propaganda, manipulation, and misinformation, providing the attendees with a comprehensive analysis of these critical issues. Following the in-depth presentations, the workshop featured active participation from the audience, engaging the experts in a media fairness exercise designed to apply the advanced concepts discussed. This exercise fostered an environment of critical analysis and debate, enabling the participants to rigorously evaluate media content and enhance their ability to identify credible information amidst biased or misleading sources.

The Structured Dialogue on Disinformation in Portugal and the European Union was held in a hybrid face-to-face format in Lisbon and online. It featured two MEPs as speakers, Anabela Rodrigues and Francisco Guerreiro. They focused on the importance of combating disinformation by raising awareness and practising face-to-face meetings and social get-togethers. 13 face-to-face participants – 8 female and 5 male. 19 online participants – 12 female and 7 male.

What people said

“At a time when political decisions seem to be increasingly opaque and linked to institution rather than community interests, it was very interesting to realise that there still exist and how can we support political representatives who try to develop their activity according to their personal values and priorities as citizens.” Telmo Simões, Portugal.

What people said

“Participating in the FACT Structured Dialogue, I learned more about the work being done at the level of the European institutions to prevent the spread of fake news. This type of session is fundamental to stimulate debate among civil society on how to combat the problem of disinformation and bridge the gap with political decision-makers.” Rosa Peleja, Portugal.

Taking advantage of a co-living week-ends of 26 youngs from different high schools taking place in Alborache, organized in the mark of another project related to gender equality, we invited 2 politicians from the City Hall and 2 communication experts including 1 journalist, in order to set a debate with the young about Fake News and Gender equality. We presented to the young 8 news about gender, and they had to guess if they were true or false (eg. an article title “80% of sexist allegations are lies” -> fake news). After this, we gave them tools to identify fake news, we debated on how sexist fake news could affect women, and about the role of politicians and medias in the debunking of these fake news.

What people said

“I am glad I had the opportunity to discuss with 2 journalists about what the media can do for gender equality because especially on social medias i see a lot of sexist narratives”

On Tuesday 23rd, we offered an interactive workshop on European Elections and Fake News called “The impact of fake news and misinformation on European Democracy”. We presented the project to those present, and from there we went on to explain basic concepts of Fake News, in order to go in depth into things like the nature of misinformation, the legal framework in the EU, the impact on European citizens, the influence on European elections, and an interactive game with the platform mentimeter, where there was a successful participation.

What people said

“I learned many things in the workshop because I didn’t know much about European Elections before, and it was not boring at all cause We played a game.”

The WP6 event was organised in Székesfehérvár, in one of the meeting rooms of the Entrepreneurship Centre. A total of 35 young people attended the event. Two professionals came to the event and gave a presentation to the young people. The first speaker was Tímea Kecskés, who works as a copywriter, social media manager and coach. She has been featured on several radio programmes and podcasts and is a well-known figure among local media professionals. Our second speaker was Dorina Mészáros, who presented Fehérvár App, our city’s own news app.

What people said

It was interesting to hear how the work of a media professional works, and what kind of media opportunities we have here in Székesfehérvár. We learned a lot today. Bence, student.

The “Mass-Media Traps” event took place on April 19 and was attended by professionals, volunteers, students, professors from the Faculty of Journalism, as well as expert journalists in the field of fake news and fact-checking. The main objective was to raise awareness about the known and especially the unknown functions of mass media. Propaganda, manipulation, misinformation were topics addressed in the workshop, and then the public participated in an exercise on media fairness.

What people said

The involvement of students in this project on fake news certainly was very useful for them. They managed to highlight the importance of identifying and combating false news in the online environment. One appreciated aspect was how they presented concrete examples and methods for verifying information. A detailed approach to the causes that generate and sustain the fake news phenomenon can be a potential for further expansion and deepening of the subject. (Professor)

An EU election panel took place in Eurooppasali, Helsinki 30.4. EU election candidates Ted Apter, Timo Huhtamäki and Pinja Vuorinen from three different parties discussed the environment, youth participation in the decision making as well as social media and rise of disinformation. The discussion was moderated by two highschool students from Helsinki, Aada and Upasana. In the end the audience had an opportunity to ask questions and discuss further with the candidates. The event was attended by members of European Youth Parliament Finland, the Helsinki Youth Council as well as other young people from the region interested in EU affairs.

What people said

“This was interesting. Thank you for including us young people in this conversation” Member of Helsinki Youth Council “I know understand better what kind of things the EU can decide on” Participant

The event “Fake news: don’t be fooled” took place on February 21st at Šiauliai Public Library and was attended by experts in the field of fake news, fact-checking, critical thinking, and democracy, along with local youths. The main objective was to raise awareness about understanding fake news and its impact on users, social circles, opinions, and actions in the context of upcoming local presidency and EU elections. The event lasted 2.5 hours and began with a warm welcome from the moderator, Lina Giedrimienė, who introduced the topic, guests, and experts. The participants then voluntarily presented themselves. Following this, Lina Giedrimienė introduced other experts, including Linas Staršelskis, a youth worker and lecturer at Vilnius University of Applied Sciences, Angelė Bražaitė, a linguist and Lithuanian language teacher, journalists Lijana Petrikaitė and Aurimas Šatokinas, Šiauliai Vice Mayor Justinas Švėgžda, City Council Member Zakiras Medžidovas, an officer from the police and military, and history recreation expert Elmyra Baljanaitė Stanevičienė. Lina Giedrimienė, a local leader, youth worker, educator, and founder of Foundation Dinozauras, then took over to present cases of fake news as a foundation for debate and discussion. The event concluded with participants sharing their insights and opinions on how fake news debunking could be improved at the policy level, as well as their personal experiences and the challenges in debunking and fighting against fake news. Ultimately, all participants agreed on the relevance of the topic for both the youth and the elderly, who are often seen as main targets for propaganda and fake news.

What people said

“I thank for Social Effect Netowrk NGO for organizing this event and discussion for it is very relevant and needed to raise awareness about fake news spread and impact. It was pleasure to hear this diverse group opinions and have discussion from fake news, critical thinking, to history and language models.”