Eco Media Literacy: The role of debunking disinformation and addressing the spread of manipulated topics

Carolina Fernandez-Castrillo and Vítor Tomé presented some of the current lines of work in the field of eco-media literacy in Spain and Portugal. Carolina, a professor at Carlos III University in Madrid, began by emphasising that the media have not only highlighted problems but also offered solutions to environmental issues. She also explained how art has been used in initiatives aimed at preventing the spread of misinformation. One of the concepts she introduced in her presentation was “Media Artivism”.

The webinar “Iberian perspectives on eco media literacy: Analyzing environmental stories from Portugal and Spain” took place on 14 May. The initiative was promoted by the Italian Association for Media Education, MED.

Vítor Tomé, a professor at the Autonomous University of Lisbon, explained that disinformation in the climate area in Portugal is much lower than political disinformation. According to the latest Digital News Report (2024), exposure to disinformation in pieces about climate change and the environment was 13%, compared to 28% in politics. Among the main trends, the researcher detects the importation of European and international topics, giving as an example the message announcing the end of physical money. The two researchers belong to the IBERIFIER consortium.

More information here. See the broadcast.

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