European Communities Against Disinformation

ended

Democracies around the world are facing a proliferation of false information, which may have the potential to destabilize their democratic institutions and undermine the trust of citizens. In some cases, disinformation was proved to be a hazard also for health security, as demonstrated by fake news and hoaxes circulated during the Covid-19 Crisis. From recent surveys 83% of people think disinformation threatens democracy, 63% of young europeans come across fake news more than once a week and 51% of Europeans think they have been exposed to disinformation online. Disinformation harms our society by: - eroding trust in institutions and media; - putting elections, social cohesion, and community health at risk -hampering citizens able to make informed decisions; - impairing the freedom of expression. The project proposal wants to focus on countering disinformation and other form of interference in the democratic debate, with the belief that EU citizenship can only be promoted by preserving access to reliable information and freedom of expression. Promoting citizens’ media literacy, critical thinking and digital skills are thus considered fundamental for positive participation in 2024 European Parliament Elections. The project will implement the following activities: - Local Awareness-raising events; - Brainstorming and opinion gathering; - Public debate and seminars; - International events; - Dissemination events and conferences. Tackling the Call specific priorities of: - Countering disinformation and other forms of interference in the democratic debate; - The 2024 European Elections. The final output of the project will be a Toolkit for local fact-checkers, fostering the establishment of bottom-up groups of young citizens with the aim to monitor the correct circulation of information about the European Union and EU relevant issues, in the perspective of the upcoming European Parliament Elections.