Elections and social media: something to worry about?
Have you ever asked yourself about your political orientation? Do you know who to vote for in European, national or local elections? Where do you collect information to form your political opinion? No wonder all these questions are important during elections in the era of social media, because they determine, directly (as in the case of your political orientation, if clearly shown), or indirectly (as in the case of your sources of information), if you are likely to be the target of specific political messages on social platforms and online. Despite the awareness of political [...]
Media Literacy and Common Sense in the EU
Thomas Jefferson stated ‘’a democratic society depends on an informed and educated citizenry’’ and while he may have faced different specific issues in his time, the principal remains applicable today. The issue we are facing? Fake news, disinformation, distrust, hate speech and polarization within our societies. Not one European country can claim that this isn’t present and appearing to be increasing. Post-truth was voted word of the year in 2016 by the Oxford Dictionary and seems to describe very well the current situation in that now it seems that facts are less important or influential [...]
Is social media encouraging the rise of Euroscepticism?
This is a very ambiguous question. So, lets break it down. In an era where European democracy is contested, the media is a key area for political actors and individuals alike to express their opinion, more so their discontented ones. Where right-wing content is shared it attracts more attention and therefore more responses and shares, spreading it further. As highlighted in research by Rania Wazir and Alison Langley of DW (2018), ‘’posts on right-wing and populist politician’s feeds generate more offensive comments than those on the feeds of center or left politian’s.’’ So, it would [...]
The fairytale of Europe
Once upon a time we had a dream, that dream was called European Union. Everything started with a fellow called Euroconstructivism. He was an orphan, and he didn’t know where he came from. He spent his childhood wandering around different countries, at the same time charmed by the beauty of the landscape and horrified by the damage war had caused. He met a lot of people along the way and with them had a great idea: fund a team where they could be all together, and take decisions together to improve the places where they [...]
Beyond Parody – is satire a form of fake news?
I’ll level with you – I’m not entirely certain that flat earthers aren’t having fun at our expense. As conspiracy theories go, this one is, on the face of it, relatively harmless. It is entirely possible that the Global Society of Flat Earthers are just having a laugh. After all, it’s the sort of thing I say to my brother at Christmas just to watch his head explode. I think there’s a glitch in my brain that simply cannot conceive that anyone could believe something so ludicrous. Like the Dunning-Kruger effect in reverse. However, judging [...]
Fight disinformation with Media Literacy
Media Literacy alone will never be enough, and the path towards its inclusion in European legislation is still ongoing. Is Media Literacy just a blurred concept or can we try to break it down into it in different aspects? Education should address all of these facets: from the communicative power of the images, to propaganda, passing through storytelling and fact-checking. EAVI staff attended the “Fight Disinformation with Media Literacy” event held on the 13th of November 2018, which focused on precisely these topics. The meeting was an initiative of the Evens Foundation, organized with Media [...]
Does the claim about the lack of democracy in Europe count as Euroscepticism?
When was Euroscepticism born? Difficult and tricky question! Some would claim that Euroscepticism is as old as European Union, some others would say the iron lady Margaret Thatcher was the first to inspire it. [ref] Margaret Thatcher’s position can’t be summarised in one word: basically she was in favour of European Union, as long as it regarded trade and defense, and instead opposing it as the symbol of the centralisation of power in a federalist conception. [/ref] It can be affirmed both the statements are true! But why? Euroscepticism has a lot of facets, including rejectionist [...]
Anti-Vaxxers and the Decline of Trust in Intellect and Expertise
A short history of anti-vaccination movements, anti-intellectualism and fake news. In 1998, the now discredited Andrew Wakefield, then a British Doctor, published a study in the British medical journal The Lancet, claiming that there was a link between the MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine and autism. This link has been thoroughly discredited, Wakefield’s study has been proven completely unreliable and unethical, and he himself has been struck off. It is a lie that has persistently stuck around, however, to the point that measles outbreaks are beginning to pose a public health risk in Europe. [...]
EAVI Conference 2018 – The Art of Living with the Media
We are pleased to invite you to the 2018 EAVI Conversation taking place on 11 December in Brussels. Based on our 10 years’ experience in media literacy, the event will be an opportunity to discuss the future of media literacy and the reasons why EAVI is now developing a new perspective so to have a greater impact and influence in the next decade. We developed a new comprehensive framework to incorporate a deeper, pragmatic and holistic vision of media literacy. Together with EAVI, international speakers will inform the debate. Join us! Participation is free but registration is compulsory and [...]
Training of Trainers in the Balkans
EAVI’s Naomi Thompson was invited to take part in a regional programme on media and information literacy in the Balkans, under an EU funded project – “Media for Citizens – Citizens for Media” which aims to build the capacities of CSOs to advance media and information literacy in the Balkans. The project runs from 2018-2010 and is intended to reinforce civil society actions to impact media and information literacy policies in the region. The project is coordinated by the Foundation Media Centre in Sarajavo and runs in five countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania [...]
