These are some examples of resources made available by European countries.
1. Council of Europe
Resources included in the Digital Citizenship Education (DCE) programme. The aim is to help teachers, students and citizens understand how information can be manipulated, for example during periods of war and crisis. A wide range of resources is available, including studies compiled in a library, engaging and informative educational materials, and a glossary.
https://www.coe.int/en/web/education/digital-transformation
2. Bad News, DROG, the Netherlands
Bad News is a game developed in the Netherlands by DROG, an organisation established to combat disinformation and improve media literacy. The game is available in 15 languages. Its slogan reads: ‘From fake news to chaos. How bad can you be?’ The aim is to gain as many followers as possible.
Bad News – Play the fake news game!
3. MOOC Disinformation Step by Step
The European YouVerify project, which brought together French partners (Savoir Devenir and AFP), Spanish partners (UNED and Eco Digital Learning) and Romanian partners (SNSPA), develops a range of resources, from quizzes and games focused on detecting false information to specific materials for teachers and educators. These resources also include the MOOC Disinformation Step by Step, which has already run twice as an open-access course, in 2021 and 2022. Available in English, French and Spanish, the course is intended for anyone interested in disinformation.
MOOC ‘Disinformation Step by Step’
4. Facts4All MOOC: Schools Tackling Disinformation, European Schoolnet
Developed by European Schoolnet, this course aims to prepare primary and secondary school teachers to implement effective approaches that foster critical thinking and combat online disinformation through intergenerational collaboration and community engagement. It is also recommended for other education professionals, non-teaching staff and policymakers.
The course is organised into four modules:
i) Information challenges in communities: an introduction to the concept of information disorder;
ii) The internet, social media and information challenges;
iii) Developing good practices and common approaches to addressing information challenges;
iv) Combating disinformation through school policy and practice.
5. Learning Corner, European Union
The European Union’s website provides educational materials on disinformation in its ‘Learning Corner’ section. These include a toolkit containing theoretical explanations and slides with links to videos. One advantage of these resources is that they can be edited and adapted to suit the target audience. The activities are intended for students aged 15 and over.
Standard PowerPoint presentation
6. Tackling Online Disinformation, European Commission
The European Commission’s website provides information on what disinformation is, how it spreads and the legislation developed to address the issue.
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/pt/policies/online-disinformation
