Truth Agents of the Post-truth Era

With our project; by combining media literacy training and digital skills, we wanted the target groups and indirect target groups to reach the level of being able to "fight disinformation" against...

With our project; by combining media literacy training and digital skills, we wanted the target groups and indirect target groups to reach the level of being able to "fight disinformation" against the ever-increasing danger of disinformation. In addition, it is aimed that the target groups and indirect target groups specified in the project will be able to increase their resistance to disinformation, become "responsible media literate" and "digitally skilled". In other words, thanks to our project, we aimed to benefit from the superior aspects of our partners and strengthen our deficiencies; to increase the number of people who are aware of disinformation, who can fight against disinformation and who are conscious media literate.

Within the scope of our project, 4 physical and 1 virtual mobility was planned. Due to the departure of the Italian partner from the project, 3 physical and 1 virtual mobility was carried out. In the project, workshop activities such as troll detection using machine learning techniques, combating disinformation with thinking machines, preparing digital brochures, coding; online activities such as creating e-books, blogs; academic activities such as applying surveys, conducting measurement and evaluation; training activities such as preparing joint training plans and curricula for courses related to the project. To elaborate, machine learning techniques were learnt and troll detection was done with learning machines. A simple deepfake detection application was designed. In the virtual activity, it was learnt how to write news within the framework of a journalism approach that will protect the public interest. Programming languages and libraries commonly used in artificial intelligence applications, Intelligent Tutorial Systems were learnt and an assistant application that provides the right information was designed. At the end of the project, a sample media literacy curriculum was prepared.

The people and organisations involved in the project, and their immediate and distant environment, have gained maximum awareness about disinformation. With digital trainings such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and coding, the fight against disinformation has moved to different dimensions. The surveys conducted at the beginning and at the end of the project resulted in a 5% increase in the critical thinking tendencies of the participants. Thanks to the project, the target groups and indirect target groups have become more conscious individuals through critical thinking, questioning and analysing methods instead of believing everything they see, read, watch and hear. In other words, as active citizens and effective communicators in today's world, it has contributed to raising the target groups as strong individuals who have the ability to think critically, have gained the habits of questioning and expression, and can fight disinformation. The researches, disinformation detection practices and experiences in the activities were integrated into the media literacy course curriculum planned as a final product.