Strengthening the democratic resilience of young citizens in Europe by helping them acquire the skills needed to recognise disinformation, emotional manipulation, and content generated or amplified by AI.
Description of the project
EMERGE was created in a European context marked by growing polarisation, declining trust in democratic institutions, and the spread of manipulative online content. Digital platforms are now central spaces for information and participation, but they are also environments where disinformation, divisive narratives, deepfakes, AI-generated images, and emotionally charged messages can spread rapidly. The project responds to a need that is still insufficiently addressed: going beyond fact-checking or the technical verification of content to help people understand why certain messages affect them emotionally, how they exploit fear, anger, or a sense of exclusion, and how these emotions can influence critical thinking. EMERGE involves young people, students, educators, teachers, youth workers, civil society organisations, policymakers, and experts in a European pathway aimed at developing practical tools to recognise information manipulation, strengthen emotional awareness, and promote more responsible use of digital spaces.
Objectives
- Develop and refine innovative tools and methodologies, including the Interactive Media and Emotional Literacy Platform, by integrating expertise on media literacy, emotional resilience, and the impact of AI on information consumption.
- Strengthen the ability of young people and adults to recognise disinformation, identify emotional manipulation, and critically assess digital content and narratives.
- Provide educators, teachers, youth workers, social workers, and civil society organisations with pedagogical tools and practical methodologies to support young people in navigating online spaces.
- Promote the use of the platform in educational, university, and youth work settings, testing and improving it through direct user feedback.
- Foster collaboration among European organisations, local stakeholders, and policymakers to disseminate sustainable practices for countering disinformation and strengthening democratic participation.
Activities
- Organisation of expert forums on media literacy, emotional resilience, gamification, and the impact of AI, aimed at defining the methodological framework of the platform.
- Preliminary research, focus groups, and analysis of knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to disinformation and online emotional manipulation.
- Development, testing, and refinement of the Interactive Media and Emotional Literacy Platform, including modular learning paths, gamified exercises, interactive case studies, and adaptive feedback.
- Local workshops for young people aged 16 to 19 in secondary schools, youth centres, and associations, with activities on critical media analysis, emotions, and responsible online behaviour.
- Advanced training for young adults and university students aged 20 to 25 on digital influence tactics, cognitive biases, disinformation, and online radicalisation.
- Professional development pathways for educators, teachers, youth workers, social workers, and CSO members, focused on the use of evidence-based methodologies and teaching tools.
- Dedicated workshops on how to use the platform, supporting its integration into educational, training, and community settings.
- Co-creation and launch of a European social media awareness-raising campaign, developed together with young people, professionals, and stakeholders through three successive phases of ideation, review, and dissemination.
- Organisation of national promotion events and a final European conference in Brussels to present the project results, tools, and recommendations.
Results
Resources
- Interactive Media and Emotional Literacy Platform, available online and publicly accessible in English, Dutch, Italian, Greek, Spanish, French, and German.
- Methodological framework developed through expert forums on media literacy, emotional literacy, AI, gamification, and interactive learning.
- Research report and KAP analysis on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the target groups regarding disinformation and emotional manipulation.
- Modular training materials for young people, adults, university students, and professionals in education and youth work.
- Reports on learning workshops, professional training, and capacity-building activities for the use of the platform.
- Awareness-raising campaign materials, including social media content, engagement guidelines, and a promotion strategy. · Reports from national events, the final European conference report, and an Action Plan for Sustainability to support the adoption and replicability of the results
Impact
- Direct involvement of around 2,100 citizens in Europe through at least 74 events in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Greece, Belgium, and Austria.
- Indirect reach of more than 150,000 people through dissemination activities, media coverage, social media, and the European awareness-raising campaign.
- Participation of at least 277 young people aged 16 to 19 in interactive workshops on media literacy, emotional resilience, and responsible use of digital spaces.
- Participation of at least 277 young adults and university students in advanced learning pathways on disinformation, digital manipulation, cognitive biases, and critical thinking.
- Involvement of around 277 professionals from education, youth work, social work, and civil society in training and capacity-building pathways.
- Improved ability of young people and professionals to recognise manipulative content, manage their emotional reactions online, and contribute to more inclusive and democratic digital communities.
- Strengthened European cooperation among organisations, stakeholders, and policymakers working to counter disinformation and promote democratic resilience.
Partners
- Coordinator: Centro per lo Sviluppo Creativo Danilo Dolci ETS, Italy
- Radio La Benevolencija, Netherlands
- Stichting Dare to be Grey, Netherlands
- European Research Institute, Italy
- Athens Lifelong Learning Institute, Greece
- Euth, Austria
- Out of the Box International, Belgium
- Asociación Empresas Con Valores, Spain
