We want to carry out the project “Detect to Protect” because the nature of disinformation has changed in recent years and existing educational responses are no longer sufficient. The rapid development of artificial intelligence, combined with algorithm-driven social media platforms, has created an information environment in which false, misleading, and manipulative content can be produced and disseminated faster, cheaper, and more convincingly than ever before. This transformation poses serious risks to democratic processes, social cohesion, and informed participation, especially among young people and communities that rely heavily on digital platforms for information. Disinformation today is increasingly AI-assisted or AI-generated. Large language models, image generators, voice cloning tools, and deepfake technologies are capable of producing content that appears credible, emotionally engaging, and authoritative, even when it is factually incorrect or intentionally manipulative. At the same time, many users tend to trust AI-generated outputs without sufficient verification, often assuming neutrality or objectivity. This creates a growing gap between technological development and users’ critical capacity, making people more vulnerable to manipulation. In parallel, the way people consume news has changed. According to the Reuters Institute, a significant share of users, particularly younger audiences now access news primarily through social media platforms such as TikTok. These platforms prioritise short, entertaining, and emotionally stimulating content, where news is mixed with humour, trends, and personal opinions. As a result, information is often consumed passively, without source checking or contextual understanding. TikTok, in particular, has been identified as one of the least verifiable information environments, which increases the risk of disinformation spreading unchecked. Another key challenge addressed by this project is the rise of emotion-based manipulation, especially through so-called rage bait. In 2025, Oxford University Press named “rage bait” the Word of the Year, acknowledging the growing importance of content designed specifically to provoke anger, outrage, and moral shock in order to maximise engagement. This type of content benefits from platform algorithms, as strong emotional reactions lead to more comments, shares, and visibility. As a result, disinformation is no longer only about false facts, but about manipulating emotions, polarising communities, and turning anger into a resource for attention, profit, and political influence. Through our work with youth workers, partner organizations, and local communities, we have identified a strong and recurring need for capacity-building in this area. Many youth workers and youth leaders feel confident discussing general media literacy, but report difficulties when it comes to: - explaining how AI-generated content and deepfakes are created and used, - addressing emotionally charged or polarising online content, - responding to disinformation that spreads through entertainment formats rather than news media, - applying practical fact-checking tools in a way that is accessible and engaging for young people. Existing training opportunities often remain theoretical or focus on traditional media analysis, while practitioners increasingly need hands-on skills, concrete methods, and up-to-date knowledge adapted to today’s digital reality. The idea of this project is therefore to implement a KA153 training activity that strengthens the professional capacity of youth workers and youth leaders to detect, understand, and counter modern forms of disinformation. The project is designed as a practical, non-formal learning experience, combining theoretical input with hands-on exercises, simulations, group work, and reflection. Participants will not only learn how disinformation works, but also how to teach others to recognise manipulation, verify information, and respond constructively to emotionally charged content. The project aims to: - strengthen participants’ ability to identify and critically assess AI-generated disinformation, deepfakes, and manipulated content; - increase understanding of rage bait, emotional manipulation, and algorithm-driven content amplification; - develop practical fact-checking, verification, and information hygiene skills adapted to social media environments; - equip youth workers with non-formal education methods and tools that can be directly transferred to their daily work; - promote ethical awareness, critical thinking, and responsible digital participation; - contribute to democratic resilience, media awareness, and informed civic engagement at local, national, and European levels.