ImmuniFact: building immunity through critical thinking and fact-checking

The ImmuniFact: building immunity through critical thinking and fact-checking project aims to strengthen the capacity of people who work with young people to support them in reducing social polarisation and building resilience against digital manipulation. To achieve this, the project is developing an innovative learning methodology that combines two complementary approaches: prebunking, learning to recognise common manipulation techniques in advance, and debunking, fact-checking and correcting false information that is already circulating. This methodology is complemented by a digital self-assessment compass, which will allow young people and the people who work with them to measure and strengthen their media literacy.

The project is currently in its development phase. Research into media literacy needs in the three partner countries has already been completed, and the findings are now shaping the learning methodology and the assessment compass. Over the coming months, young people and professionals from the three countries will come together to share ideas and help finalise these tools. From there, a first group of professionals will be trained, who will be responsible for passing on what they have learned to colleagues in each country through further training and events open to the community.

The project expects that, thanks to this work, over 120 youth professionals and 150 young people in New Caledonia, Spain and Croatia will have concrete, evidence-based tools to counter disinformation, and that this knowledge will keep spreading through their communities beyond the project’s lifetime.