The digital age has transformed how young people access, share and understand information. According to a 2024 Eurobarometer survey on media habits, 42% of young Europeans aged 16 to 30 rely on social media as their main source of news, surpassing traditional outlets like television and newspapers. While social platforms offer quick and easy access to information, they also serve as major channels for spreading misinformation, disinformation and manipulative content. According to the survey, a significant majority (76%) of young people believed they had been exposed to disinformation and fake news in the seven days prior to the survey, whereas 70% of participants were confident they could recognize disinformation (Source: https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3392). Yet, only a small percentage regularly verify the content they consume. According to Eurostat, in Lithuania, for example, only 21% of young people reported having checked the accuracy of online news in the previous three months. In some EU countries, this figure is even lower: Cyprus – 11%, Bulgaria – 14%, Romania – 15% (Source: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20240529-3). Despite high levels of digital engagement, media literacy skills among young people remain low, particularly in critically evaluating content, recognizing bias and understanding the algorithms that shape what they see online. This lack of media literacy has significant consequences, not only for individuals but for democracy as a whole. One alarming example occurred during Slovakia’s 2023 parliamentary elections, where a deepfake audio clip falsely accused a liberal politician of election fraud. The clip, generated using AI and circulated widely just days before voting, was difficult to debunk in time. Experts agree that this disinformation influenced voter perceptions and possibly the outcome of the election. This incident, covered by international media, raised urgent concerns about how fast-evolving technologies can be used to undermine trust in democratic institutions. Beyond elections, misinformation has also shaped public discourse on topics like COVID-19, climate change, migration and war. False claims spread through influencers, viral TikToks and YouTube videos reach millions before fact-checkers can respond. This not only polarizes societies but also affects young people's mental health. A 2024 study presented at the European Congress of Psychiatry found that many young people are increasingly using platforms like Instagram and TikTok to explore mental health topics, leading to a rising trend of self-diagnosis based on unverified content. This phenomenon contributes to growing anxiety and confusion among youth, who often struggle to distinguish what is real from what is manipulated. There is a clear and urgent need to equip young people with practical media literacy tools that will help them recognize manipulation, think critically and engage responsibly in the digital space. Aim The proposed project aims to create an educational and experiential platform where young people can build strong media literacy skills, critically engage with the digital information landscape and explore the role of responsible communication in democratic societies. Objectives The specific objectives of this project are: - To improve media literacy awareness among 45 young people by introducing them to key concepts such as misinformation, disinformation, propaganda, media bias and algorithmic influence on content. - To raise awareness among 45 young people from diverse backgrounds about the risks of misinformation and the importance of critical media literacy. - To build practical skills for identifying disinformation, understanding how social media algorithms work and using fact-checking tools to verify online content. - To encourage safe and responsible digital behavior by reflecting on personal media habits, identifying online risks and developing individual action plans for applying media literacy in everyday life.