Lesson F - Media Literacy

In Lesson F - Media Literacy, the class kicked off with an interactive workshop aimed at testing students' critical thinking in today's digital information landscape. The session began with an engaging ice-breaker where students had to evaluate whether various media examples were "Reliable or not?" and "Real or Fake?". Through collaborative class activities, participants critically examined where they get their news and discussed recent stories that seemed twisted, exaggerated, or simply untrue. By dissecting the differences between verifiable facts and personal opinions, students uncovered what disinformation truly is and why it is intentionally spread to deceive people or generate profit.

The second half of the lesson shifted to a comprehensive presentation that provided students with a practical "Fact-Checking Compass". This tool taught them how to verify authors, check publication dates, and spot manipulated pictures. Using real-world examples, such as the story of Penka the cow, students learned how the specific way a story is told can heavily distort the actual facts. The presentation also outlined concrete EU measures against disinformation, including the "EU vs Disinfo" team, efforts to pressure social media companies, and support for independent journalists. The outcome of this lesson empowered students to think critically before sharing content and to actively rely on official fact-checking organizations, such as Ellinika Hoaxes and Greece Fact Check, to navigate their daily news feeds safely.

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Credits

The content used in this lesson was taken from various platforms listed below. This content is used for educational purposes and has been edited according to the needs of the Young European Diplomats Programme.

• Educational Material & Lesson Plans: European Parliament - Spokesperson's Unit

• Website "How To Spot Disinformation" Report - Definition of Disinformation: Think Tank - European Parliament

• Website "Bad News Game" & "Bad News Games for Kids": Tilt

• Website "Fakescape" (CZ & EN): Fakescape

• Website "Escape Fake" (DE & EN): Polycular

• Website "Millab" (EN, GE, AR, AZ): Media Development Foundation

• Website "Poynter Institute": International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) - Poynter Institute

• Website "Facebook": Meta

• Website "EUvsDisinfo" & "Think Before You Share Campaign": European External Action Service (EEAS) - East Stratcom Task Force