Education against fake news: Event in Au/Hallertau informed!

Education against fake news: Event in Au/Hallertau informed!

An insightful event for Democracy Week recently took place in Au/Hallertau, at which Andre Wolf from Vienna, a Mimikama employee, gave a lecture. Wolf captivated the audience with his talk about the widespread problem of fake news and disinformation on social media. The initiative was launched by Philipp Barthelme, the community youth worker, and Heidrun Hee, the head of the community library, to educate citizens about the dangers of manipulative content and to promote their media literacy.

The interest in this topic is no surprise. Since Donald Trump's controversial victory in the 2016 US elections and the Brexit referendum, awareness of fake news has increased. Unreliable information continues to be spread on social media, often by malicious actors, which was also addressed at the event. Barthelme highlighted the importance of equipping people with in-depth knowledge to counteract political violence and manipulative content.

Awareness about fake news

Wolf explained that social media turns users into senders and receivers of information. He divided fake news into three categories: firstly, completely made up content, secondly, misinterpreted information and thirdly, real images or videos with misleading descriptions. Using clear examples, he showed how targeted false information is spread. An image of a woman was incorrectly linked to a migrant incident, while an image of British soldiers' coffins circulating in the context of the Ukraine war actually dated from 2006.

Wolf presented reverse image search as an essential tool for checking content, a method that anyone can use to check the origin of images and thus counteract false information.

The role of media literacy

Wolf paid particular attention to the importance of media literacy. The spread of fake news and misinformation shows how important it is to deal critically with media content. In order to reduce uncertainty and mistrust in political and media institutions, awareness-raising measures are essential. Numerous studies show that politically active groups specifically seek information that supports their views, which can increase the spread of fake news.

To counteract this, it is advisable to consult various sources, check senders and critically examine sensational language and contradictions in the information. To this end, Mimikama offers extensive information and tools on its website to train and raise public awareness of media literacy.

The discussion about fake news is also taken seriously by the European side. The EU has launched various initiatives such as “EU vs. Disinfo” to specifically combat disinformation. The Digital Services Act requires online platforms to take proactive measures against disinformation and make risks transparent for users. Especially in times of crisis, when fake news is spreading particularly quickly, it is crucial to educate citizens about these risks and to provide them with the tools to recognize and combat disinformation.

Overall, the event was an important step in raising awareness of this pressing issue and equipping participants with the skills they need to better navigate the flood of information we encounter every day. If you would like to delve deeper into the topic, you will find a variety of resources on the Mimikama website.

You can find more information about fake news and its effects at Mercury, bpb and Deutschlandfunk.