Welcome to the MLI Monthly Update!
Have something you want to share with the membership? Tell us about it by emailing us at info@medialiteracyireland.ie. We are particularly interested in including your resources in the Training and Development section of the MLI website.
This Month in Media Literacy
Our big news this month is that that the MLI Awards 2025 are now open for entry! The standard of last year’s entries was incredibly high, and we’re really looking forward to seeing what this year will bring. We also have lots of interesting reads for you, including reports on mis- and disinformation, influencer regulation and online misogyny, as well as some excellent media literacy resources.
Announcements
Call for entries: The MLI Awards 2025
The 2025 MLI Awards are now accepting entries. Supported by Coimisiún na Meán, the aim of the MLI Awards is to recognise the great projects, activities and initiatives that are helping citizens, especially within communities, to develop the media literacy skills that will empower them to make the best use of media. The deadline for entries is 14 July.
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Call for entries: 2025 Journalism Award
This year’s Global Youth and News Media Journalism Awards spotlights excellent youth collaborations that contribute to the survival of local news outlets. This competition is open to any kind of news organisation in any country run by people of any age and on any platform. The news outlet must be serving a local community successfully, at least in part through a collaboration with young people. The deadline for entries is 16 June.
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Call for entries reminder: Fís Film Competition
Entries are still open for the annual national FÍS Film Competition. To enter, primary schools across the country are asked to create an (up to) five-minute film on a subject of their choice. The deadline for entries is 5 p.m. on 27 June.
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Call for applications: Grant for Investigative Stories Covering the EU
Journalists currently working in or publishing stories covering EU member countries and EU-aspiring countries are invited to apply for grants of €1,400 to produce investigations shedding light on critical social, political and economic issues. The deadline for applications is 30 June.
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The Young Journalist Ireland Awards 2025
The winners of the Young Journalist Ireland Awards, run by NewsBrands Ireland, were announced at a ceremony in the Aviva Stadium on 13 May, celebrating the outstanding work of secondary school students across the country.
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Schools and Students Honoured in Safer Internet Day Awards
Schools and students from across Ireland have been recognised for their outstanding efforts in promoting online safety and digital citizenship as part of their Safer Internet Day (SID) 2025 activities.
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Pennypop MLI Training at DIFE
In April, Pennypop ran a media literacy workshop at the Drogheda Institute of Further Education (DIFE), engaging media and journalism students in an immersive learning experience.
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Resource: European Commission launches the Virtual Worlds Toolbox
The European Commission has released the ‘Virtual Worlds Toolbox’, an online resource designed to help citizens navigate virtual environments. It explains how virtual worlds work and outlines citizens’ rights within the EU. The toolbox covers working, learning and gaming in virtual spaces, and includes guidance on safety, cybersecurity and protection against disinformation.
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Resource: UNESCO’s Journey through the MILtiverse
This toolkit for youth organisations serves as a primary resource to help them incorporate MIL into their strategies, policies and operations, aiming to make MIL a lasting component of their practices and peer-to-peer educational programmes.
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Resource: Digitized Divides
Digitized Divides: Revealing the trade-offs of a tech-dependent world is a 10-part series from the Tactical Tech Studio examining some of the ways in which technologies have, and are, exacerbating harms in society, providing snapshots into who makes technologies such as AI, who benefits most and who is harmed, and how it is being used out in the field.
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Resource: Media Smart
Media Smart helps young people understand advertising wherever it appears, and inspires them to consider the sector as a career choice. This not-for-profit education programme funded by advertisers, agencies, media owners, tech companies and trade associations provides empowering guides for 7–25-year-olds, engaging teaching resources and expert advice for parents and guardians.
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Resource: Project Real lessons on online misinformation
This site contains lesson plans and resources for six lessons, each covering a different element of online misinformation. These lessons have been designed to be delivered in schools and youth group settings, but may also be of interest to families.
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Report: Co-creating ways to navigate and mitigate against mis- and disinformation
This report, carried out by Verian for Ofcom, explores the approaches, messages and trusted voices that might be most resonant with different groups when countering mis- and disinformation.
Read the report here
Report: National rules applicable to influencers
The regulation of influencers is a crucial topic in the context of shifting media consumption habits, where influencer actions can have a significant impact on public opinion and consumer behaviour. This report from the European Audiovisual Observatory outlines the regulation of social media influencers across Europe.
Read the report here
Report: Echo Chambers and Empty Spaces
This report from the Mhor Collective explores digital inequality and misogyny online. The research demonstrates how unequal access to digital literacy and critical thinking skills, compounded by broader social and economic disparities, creates fertile ground for the spread of harmful ideologies. It emphasises the urgent need to address digital inequality through improved media literacy, focusing on critical thinking and digital navigation, and comprehensive support and training, among other things.
Read the report here
Report: Adults’ Media Lives 2025
Since 2005, the Adults’ Media Lives study has provided rich contextual insight into media trends in the UK by examining how technology and media fit into individual lives. Certain subjects are tracked each year, including development of media literacy skills, sources of news and information, and concerns about data and privacy.
Read the 2025 report here
Report: Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report 2025
This annual report from Ofcom looks at media use, attitudes and understanding among children and young people aged 3–17 in the UK. The report provides a comprehensive picture of children’s media experiences as a reference for industry, policymakers, academics and the general public.
Read the report here
Report: The Impact of the DSA – A Facebook Case Study
Focusing on Facebook, this study compares the sharing of harmful content published by Polish and Lithuanian accounts before and after the DSA entered into force.
Read the report here
Events
EDEN Digital Learning Europe Annual Conference 2025 – 15–17 June
This theme of this year’s conference is ‘Shaping the Future of Education in the Age of AI’. The conference will explore the opportunities and challenges posed by generative AI, recognising its potential for growth and innovation in education, while critically addressing the associated risks.
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Media and Learning 2025 Conference: Educational Media that Works – 18–19 June
Taking place in Leuven, Belgium, this event will focus on the importance of making the best-informed choices when it comes to choosing and using media. It will bring together a vibrant community of educators and researchers from different parts of Europe and beyond who are passionate about leveraging media in support of learning in higher education.
Register for this event here
EDULEARN25 Conference: Connecting Technology with Education – 30 June–2 July
Taking place in Palma, Spain, this conference is for professionals, researchers and technologists around the world. It will offer oral and poster sessions, interactive workshops, networking events and keynote speeches delivered by world-renowned education experts.
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EMIF Summer Conference – 15–16 July
Experts and professionals from Europe’s counter-disinformation community will conven in Lisbon, Portugal, to discuss the challenges of countering disinformation in changing times. The event will also spotlight EMIF projects and the fund’s impact on sustaining and strengthening the resilience of the European information landscape.
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DISINFO2025 Conference – 15–16 October
Over the course of two days in Ljubljana, Slovenia, leading specialists from varied backgrounds will tackle the most pressing issues in the disinformation landscape. This is an opportunity to connect and learn from leading voices and stakeholders throughout the community, through a programme of insightful panel discussions, interviews, keynotes and workshops led by high-profile speakers. Registration is now open for this event.
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In Case You Missed It
Ofcom’s Safer Lives Online for Women and Girls
Ofcom’s consultation on how to make life online safer for women and girls started in February 2025 and called for inputs into its practical guidance for tech companies. As part of this consultation process, a focus group took place in Belfast on 8 May. Three representatives from Coimisiún na Meán attended this focus group to learn more and to share insights.
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Webwise Digital Citizenship Champions Programme
The Digital Citizenship Champions Programme is a national initiative designed to empower primary school teachers with the essential knowledge, skills and resources to effectively teach digital citizenship. In a rapidly evolving digital world, it is crucial for teachers to guide students in navigating the online environment safely, ethically, and responsibly.
More
Resource of the Month
FraudSMART’s Scamchecker
FraudSMART raises awareness of financial scams and provides tips on how to protect yourself. This scamchecker resource allows you to quickly and easily check if a website or link is legitimate. It could be used in the classroom or in a workshop to empower and encourage people to do their own fact-checking.
Further resources from FraudSMART can be found here
Thanks for reading!
If you have a colleague or friend who might enjoy these updates, they can register to become an MLI member or just subscribe to receive the newsletter. For any membership issues, or if you have something you’d like to include in next month’s edition of the newsletter, please email us at info@medialiteracyireland.ie
Kind regards,
The MLI Team
