“Democracy @ Risk. The growing risks of AI, coming Quantum revolution and social media” is implemented in response to existential threats to democracy and privacy posed by new technologies – from disinformation and manipulation utilizing AI and microtargeting to the coming Quantum Revolution, which may jeopardize the confidentiality of the most critical information. The project’s objectives are directly related to our needs, specifically the needs of the youth from the participating organizations, and the project’s seed was sown during the Youth Exchange “Space Ethics navigating the final frontier responsibly” which took place in August of this year. From the perspective of youth work practice, our project is an answer to a significant gap in formal education programs, which dedicate very little space to the influence of new technologies on democratic processes. The idea behind our project is to transform young people from passive recipients vulnerable to manipulation into aware, resilient, and active digital citizens. Our project addresses the pressing educational needs and real fears of young people living in the digital age. These aspects make our project crucial for the safety and future of young people. Key Needs: 1. Countering Disinformation and Social Engineering o Disinformation as a weapon: Young people feel they are slowly losing the ability to distinguish information from disinformation, and AI amplifies manipulation to an unprecedented scale. The project is a direct response to the use of social media as a weapon to spread discord (e.g., the 2016 US campaign, campaigns in Brazil and the Philippines, and the genocide in Myanmar, which was a consequence of sowing discord on social media) and propagate deepfakes (e.g., by Russia). Young people noted the Oxford Internet Institute report, "Industrialized Disinformation 2020. Global Inventory of Organized Social Media Manipulation" showed that in 76 countries, fake news is already an element of political communication. o Digital "Hygiene": We feel a growing threat to our mental health, and therefore we need tools for digital "hygiene". The project teaches how algorithms acquire human prejudices and deepen inequalities (e.g., in recruitment), as well as what microtargeting is, helping us avoid "echo chambers". 2. Addressing the Threat Arising from Quantum Technology Development and Cybersecurity o Fear for Privacy: Young people, tracking technological developments, understand that the biggest threats may actually be ahead of us. The development of quantum computers, which can "break" encryption algorithms, means the end of citizen privacy, as well as the greatest state secrets and, for example, information in the financial system. o Knowledge of the Future: The project responds to the urgent need to understand the technology of tomorrow, deepen practical knowledge about currently available IT and AI technologies, and equip us with knowledge about new defense techniques that are not offered by formal education. Key Project Objectives The main objective is to equip us, young people, with knowledge and tools that will allow us to become aware and responsible citizens in the digital age, protecting our future and the foundations of democracy. 1. Digital Competencies and Critical Thinking o Turning Knowledge into Action: We will learn how AI works (from the Turing Test to LLM models), and deepfake workshops will allow us to create them ourselves to understand how they work and how to recognize them. o Information Verification: We will gain tools to verify whether content was generated by AI or a human, and we will learn to critically analyze and verify information based on different sources. 2. Active Citizenship and Democratic Participation o Sense of Agency: Understanding the mechanisms of threats gives us self-confidence and motivates us to actively advocate for changes in regulations. o Proposing Reforms: The project teaches us to propose reforms and policies that will effectively increase the resilience of democracy and protect freedom of speech. o Using Media: We will use the acquired knowledge to create our own social media campaigns for issues important to us, such as ecology, which makes us active participants, not just observers. 3. Inclusion and Responsibility o Diversity as a Strength: Through joint work, the project promotes tolerance and a sense of belonging to the wider European community, including youth from the Roma minority, and refugees from Ukraine. o Ecological Awareness: The “Eco-education for the future” workshops teach us how to implement concrete, simple steps in daily life (saving water/energy, segregation, eco-fashion) and how to counter greenwashing. Thanks to this project, we feel that we are growing, becoming more conscious, responsible, and empathetic people, ready to act for a better future.