Our primary goal was to improve older adults' knowledge and skills in Media & Information Literacy (MIL) and Digital Literacy (DL), empowering them to effectively identify and fight fake news. We aimed to develop an inclusive educational framework that could be replicated in various regions, making it possible for older adults to fully engage in civic and social life. In addition, the project produced valuable resources, including seven online training modules and three country-specific reports. These resources, widely disseminated, are expected to reach diverse stakeholders and inspire future initiatives in the field.
The project was launched to address the urgent problem of low digital literacy and susceptibility to fake news among seniors aged 65 and older. We identified a growing need to provide older adults with the skills needed to critically evaluate online content, especially given the increasing impact of misinformation on their social and civic lives. This demographic group is often overlooked in digital literacy initiatives, but they represent a significant portion of the population that actively engages in social and political discourse. In fact, today nearly 20 percent of the population is over the age of 65; by 2070 the percentage will be 30 percent.