Empowering Youth To Combat Misinformation: Media and Information Literacy Hackathon

"As a 20-year-old from Malaysia, I am excited to conceive and develop a project with my teammates that will enable youth to better combat online disinformation", said Adik Bahiya, a student from Kuala Lumpur, when registering for UNESCO's Youth Hackathon.

The objective of the participants will be to design innovative solutions in response to this year's theme: "Youth Leading the Way - Media and Information Literacy and the New Digital Frontiers of Information". The Hackathon welcomes diverse and creative formats, from interactive games, applications and websites to podcasts and community-based interventions, that are sustainable and impactful.

To prepare the participants, UNESCO has organized a special online mentoring programme on 28-29 August 2024. The programme will include sessions on the basics of media and information literacy and coding, as well as case studies on critical topics such as artificial intelligence, climate disinformation and the growing role of digital content creators in the information landscape.

"Media and information literacy is crucial as it provides citizens with the knowledge, skills and attitude to demand quality information which is key to democracy", says Lizette Ferris, who will lead an interactive session on MIL competencies. The Project Manager from DW Akademie's office in Namibia adds, "The rich online mentoring programme put together by UNESCO will allow young participants to prepare for a unique challenge: designing innovative solutions to strengthen media and information literacy in digital spaces."

Elena Sinel, founder of TeensinAI, will devote her one-hour session to artificial intelligence, addressing growing concerns over the rise of misinformation. She promises "engaging discussions and interactive team activities, during which participants will explore real-world scenarios to foster critical thinking and ethical awareness".

The winning teams of the Youth Hackathon, selected by an independent jury, will have the unique opportunity to present their project during the closing ceremony of the Global MIL Week(30-31 October 2023). The event is organized by UNESCO with the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan under the theme 'The New Digital Frontiers of Information - Media and Information Literacy for Public Interest Information'.

To learn more about the 2024 Youth Hackathon, and to register until 27 August, please click here.