Recent event

IMMUNE 2 INFODEMIC Project Coproduction Workshop-2

Tools to immunise citizens against mis- and disinformation

I2I Coproduction Workshop-2, 22 Sep_Concept_invitation

European citizens are all exposed to an infodemic spreading increasingly which can severely impact their democratic participation and engagement. This may include disinformation, misinformation, fake news, and other types of interference on different issues related to public life. A pre-emptive approach needs to be taken to decrease the worsening impact, such as using vaccination against the spread of the pandemic.

IMMUNE 2 INFODEMIC aims to immunise EU citizens/residents against disinformation and misinformation on selected themes by empowering and equipping them with several easy-to-use tools. The project consortium formulates and co-produces 3 instruments (vaccines): digital literacy, media literacy, and critical thinking; and applies these instruments to 3 selected hot themes (boosters): elections, COVID-19 and migration.

The workshop aimed to evaluate the produced materials (videos, infographics, presentations) that will be used in events, workshops and e-learning settings against dis/misinformation.

We involved experts (educators, researchers, practitioners, media and communication experts) and target group members in the product design by bringing them together in an interactive workshop.

Schedule

22 SEP 2023

Press Club, Rue Froissart 95,

1040 Brussels, Belgium

invitation pdf

Event Description Sheet

Coffee and Registration

}

09:30 - 10:00

Opening and Welcome speech

}

10:00 - 10:05

Immune 2 Infodemic project introduction

Beyond the Horizon ISSG

}

10:05 - 10:15

Workshop 1 – Instruments (Vaccines): Digital Information Literacy Tools

● 5’ WS introduction / form the groups
● 15’ Presentation
● 20’ Split into groups
● 20’ Plenary conclusion

}

10:15 - 11:15

Coffee Break

}

11:15 - 11:30

Workshop 2 – Themes (Boosters): Applying tools on migration theme

● 5’ WS introduction / form the groups
● 15’ Presentation
● 20’ Split into groups
● 20’ Plenary conclusion

}

11:30 - 12:30

Lunch and Networking

}

12:30 - 13:00

In each of the 2 workshop sessions, participants were split into three smaller groups to give their feedback and suggestions for evaluating and improving the produced material (presentation, infographics and videos). The workshops were organised in head-hand-heart format, in which the groups focused on logical (head), practical (hand) and emotional (heart) aspects. After the presentation of the materials, the groups made internal discussions and presented their results with others at the end. The workshops brought critical and constructive ideas.

Workshop – 1 / Digital Literacy Tools: presented the 3 guiding characters for self learning and video materials and 10 digital information literacy tools to the audience related to (1) Information reliability and information disorders, (2) Data footprints and online privacy, (3) Algorithms and Artificial Intelligence. The outcomes of the workshop can be summarised as follows.

Head (logical): Tools are content wise interesting but need to speak for different target groups as well and can have different levels. AI as a topic is popular and there is more need among people for AI generated information. More tools would be more useful.
Hand (practical): Tools can be very practical to use during workshops or other in-situ activities that can easily be used by different organisations, educators when supported by cases. These can be tested and improved at the workshops. The tools can be printed in card format making a deck of cards to immunise users against infodemic.
Heart (emotional): The characters can help to make an emotional link with the target group during the e-learning. The irony is that these characters are also not real but AI-generated. It might be better to tell it at the beginning to the audience. For in-person events, the characters might not be necessary. The facilitator’s personal connection would be enough.

Workshop – 2 / Immunising on Migration Theme: presented the methodology of immunising citizens on a particular theme which includes main facts & figures, main mis/disinformation narratives and a case study. The case study focused on a social media post about the cost of migration to Belgium which had misleading content and using a critical thinking tool to defend yourself. The outcomes of the workshop can be summarised as follows:

Head (logical): Main facts & figures can help participants to build immunity, but as an order these can be presented after the cases to bring curiosity and could be asked in a question format to get more attention from the audience.
Hand (practical): The facilitator’s approach is really important during in-situ events in practical terms. Using more visual material and less text can bring more connection with the theme. While applying the tools on a case, the content can be more attractive and show the steps in a more visual way.
Heart (emotional): Migration is a very hot and sensitive topic. The content and the sessions should be politically neutral and focus more on facts. Therefore distinguishing facts and opinions are important.