Too many news - my own views

Mass media is a powerful force in forming our perception of reality. The recent technological developments have brought profound changes to the way we access and consume news. Today every person connected to the Internet can post information, pictures, videos and comments which can go viral. This means that they can potentially reach millions of people around the world and influence their attitude to a given issue. The digital revolution can empower but this power comes with great responsibility. In various parts of Europe and neighboring countries young people face different challenges related to media literacy, i.e. exposure to media bias, hate speech, cyberbullying, grassroots xenophobia propagated by media and social networks. How to stay informed but to avoid misinformation? How to distinguish between reliable information and various forms of propaganda? How to confront and counter hate speech online? We would like to carry out this project to empower youth workers and activists to become conscious media consumers, to apply their critical thinking skills and to contribute to more inclusive and tolerant societies through non-formal education methods. The project aims at examining critically media discourses in our countries and analysing the role and impact of mass media messages in creating a stereotypical image of particularly vulnerable social groups, e.g. migrants (labour migrants, involuntary migrants, refugees, IDPs) and various social minorities (racial, ethnic, cultural, and sexual). The participants for this training course will include youth workers and youth leaders who are committed to countering radicalisation and hate speech; work with marginalised youth, particularly refugees and asylum seekers; and/or have first-hand experience of challenges of social or cultural integration (youth activists with migrant or refugee background). The program will be based on non-formal education methodology and will be tailored to meet participants’ learning needs. Theoretical input will be combined with interactive activities and tools for youth empowerment. As a result of the training course, youth workers, youth activists and youth leaders will be able to analyse critically the techniques, conventions, and language used by the media and the messages they convey. They will get a better understanding of how media can positively and negatively influence the diversity and social cohesion in the society and will learn to identify, challenge or avoid media content that might be offensive and harmful. Upon finishing the course, the participants should be able to serve as multipliers in their respective organisations and societies. Our short-term goals are to develop critical thinking skills of youth workers and leaders, to increase their awareness about the importance of responsible media consumption, and to empower them to counter stigmatization messages formulated by mass media. We also envisage developing strategies, materials, and guidelines which can be later used for basic media literacy training for young people. The potential longer-term benefits include initiating positive changes in participating countries by decreasing the level of hate speech, racism, and xenophobia particularly spread through social media networks.