A COMPASS FOR INTERNET NEWS
Studies have shown that a large number of young people have difficulties distinguishing between fake and true content, accept photos as facts and do not have the skills to distinguish an authentic/credible source from an unconventional, less credible one.
Erasmus+
Youth Exchange
Szentendre, Hungary
20-29 July 2021
A short insight
Over a period of 10 days, 32 people from all over Europe have gathered in a camping site near Budapest where they have talked about the dangers of fake news & how to combat them. Fake news are manipulated information that is used to scare, control and mislead people.
One of the main aims of the project was to learn how to spot fake news out of the information pool. The process of spotting them is actually comprised off of 8 basic steps, which are to consider the source, reading beyond the headline, checking the author by doing a bit of research about him/her, checking if the sources are legit & the date to see if it is just an old article, if it is a joke, if it is biased or not and, of course, to fact-check every piece of information that comes your way.
The second and most important part about this project was learning how to combat fake news. A very important thing about this would be to start thinking more critically with the aforementioned fact-checking technique. It’s not only about countering them, it’s about having an active part in the process of making the online environment a safer one, especially because one of the more important values of Erasmus+ is to create a safe space for people from Europe and all around the world.
All in all, we have developed our ways of spotting and combating fake news in a more meaningful and impactful manner.



Q: What do makeup and fake news have in common?
A: Both distort reality: sometimes they make it more amusing, other times they make the moment of discovering the truth frightening.
In the age of technology, where almost everything is at the distance of search, the process of differentiating between official and false information is difficult for the inexperienced. Most of the time, users of social media applications are the main victims of the false news trap.

Here are some simple steps to avoid false news:
Make sure the author and source are reliable and that the material is not from an “overnight” publication. You probably don’t have the experience to know all the trusted editors, reporters, or journalists, but in this case, the Internet is the ideal weapon;
If you have met this first condition, to be sure that what you are reading is true, you can start looking for “evidence”. See if the information provided has been taken from other sources (at least two and, obviously, reliable);



Analyze the information delivered and wonder if that article is somehow not an attempt of misinformation;
In this regard, pay attention to details such as the date of publication of the information;
Although a little bizarre and difficult to respect, try not to accept all the information that the media gives you. TV news can often be confusing.
Last but not least, if you are still unsure of the accuracy of the information, ask for the advice of someone you trust, maybe even the opinion of an expert.
Learning by playing
During the project we have developed four boardgames about fake news

The purpose of this game is to support the players to better understand different words and concepts related to fake news.

A game that aims to develop your abilities to follow the news and to discover the truth in the online environment.

A game to raise awareness about important issues in the online environment that
many users face on a daily basis.

A role-playing game that imagines a fantasy world with adventures full of endless possibilities and amazing surprises.


What does this project mean to us?
An unforgettable experience, knowledge, skills, changes of attitudes, development and friends!


The project „A Compass for Internet News” was financed with the support of the European Commission through Erasmus+ Programme. This blog reflects only the author’s views, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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