The content in this newsletter is a collection of media literacy related news and information from a wide range of sources and inclusion does not imply the endorsement of Media Literacy Ireland.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n School might be finished for the summer but there is definitely a youth focus in media literacy right now. Two of Ireland\u2019s young creatives have brought home gold from Cannes and there are opportunities for 18\u201330-year-olds to participate in DCU FuJo\u2019s Media Literacy Incubator, the Voices Festival and UNESCO\u2019s Youth Hackathon. June also saw the publication of important reports on trust in news in Ireland and young people\u2019s views on the challenges posed by AI. Read on for further details of these and other initiatives, events, research and developments.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n ChangingTIDE is an EU-funded project that aims to counter disinformation by building capacity for grassroots action. As part of the project, DCU FuJo is seeking young adults (18\u201330 years) to join a Media Literacy Incubator on 30 July<\/strong>\u00a0at the DCU St Pat\u2019s Campus. Participation is free of charge. Those interested can use this online form<\/a> to apply.\u00a0<\/em> Congratulations to TBWA\\Ireland\u2019s Hannah Murphy and Kate Dempsey who were awarded gold in the prestigious under-30s Young Lions Competition in Cannes. Media Literacy Ireland was delighted to be the official client partner for the 2026 Irish Young Lions Competition<\/a>, which took place in February and was run by Iapi, the business representative organisation for Ireland\u2019s creative and communications sector. The 14 winners competed with international teams at Cannes, where Hannah and Kate won gold with their print campaign titled A Guide to the Signs<\/em>, focusing on this year\u2019s brief of water safety.\u00a0 This year\u2019s Media Literacy Ireland Awards are due to open shortly, so now is a good time to start thinking about your entry. With six categories, the aim of the awards is to recognise the great projects, activities and initiatives that are helping to empower citizens, especially within communities, with the media literacy skills to make the best use of media. The 2026 MLI Awards will open for entries on 7 July.<\/strong> A new awareness campaign about intimate image abuse has been launched by Ireland’s online safety charity CyberSafeKids and Irish Internet Hotline. Supported by the Community Foundation Ireland, the\u00a0It\u2019s Not The End of the World\u00a0<\/em><\/a>campaign is aimed at empowering children and young people (13\u201317 years) to understand what intimate image abuse is and how to access support.\u00a0\u00a0 The first National Financial Literacy Strategy Stakeholder Forum took place on 10 June 2026. It was opened by the T\u00e1naiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris and brought together 65 organisations to develop approaches to improving financial literacy across Ireland. A key strategy objective is to improve fraud and scams awareness among consumers, which includes equipping consumers with the skills and confidence they need to think critically before they click online, identify risks when navigating digital marketplaces and manage their money safely. This month saw the launch<\/a> of the flagship Growing up in a Connected World: A Family Guide for the Digital Age<\/a>.<\/em> Designed to support families navigating today\u2019s rapidly evolving digital information ecosystem, this flagship global resource from UNESCO\u2013CLEMI was shaped by lived family experiences and informed by over 35 experts from around the globe. The guide offers evidence-based recommendations, educational expertise and concrete actionable guidance for parents, educators and policymakers. The\u00a0AI Opinion Campaign<\/a>,\u00a0which launched last year as part of the part of the ADAPT Centre\u2019s #DiscussAI programme,\u00a0is well under way and the response has been significant, with over 500 opinions received so far. There is still plenty of time to have your say as the campaign runs until the end of the year and the hope is to record as many opinions as possible from across Ireland. Across Europe, misleading narratives, hate speech, conspiracy theories and extremist messaging increasingly target ethnic and religious minority communities, shaping perceptions, deepening divisions and undermining trust. In response to this urgent challenge, the new EU-funded project\u00a0MinDiShield \u2013 Combating Online Minority-Related Disinformation<\/em><\/a>\u00a0has been launched to strengthen resilience, promote media literacy and support communities in navigating the digital information landscape safely and confidently. The News Literacy Project in the US is seeking to take news literacy instruction offline this summer with its \u2018unplugged\u2019 printables\u00a0\u2014 a bookmark set<\/a> and two foldable booklets, the Teen Safety zine<\/a> and the Information Ecosystem zine<\/a>. These resources are aimed at educators and families and they correspond with free interactive lessons and full-size infographics available on the Checkology<\/a>\u00ae\u00a0<\/sup>virtual classroom<\/a>. Free Press Unlimited<\/a>\u00a0is inviting applications for four grants of \u20ac5,000 each to support cross-border collaborative investigations on the impact of AI. The grants are open to teams of journalists from at least two eligible European countries and support investigations into topics such as AI governance, accountability of AI companies, environmental impacts, human rights, political power structures behind AI, and the societal implications of emerging technologies. The deadline for applications is 22 July<\/strong>. Under the theme\u00a0Play Your Part: Youth Design the Future of Media and Information Literacy<\/em>, the 2026 UNESCO Youth Hackathon<\/a> invites young people aged 18\u201330 years from around the world to collaborate, innovate, and develop practical solutions to strengthen media and information literacy in their communities. Voices Festival<\/a>\u00a0is granting 25 awards of \u20ac1,200 each to young journalists and media freedom advocates to participate in the festival\u2019s upcoming edition. The awards have a broad focus across eight categories, recognising outstanding achievements in various journalistic formats (radio, video, digital, cartoons and comics, and photojournalism) as well as in media literacy and international best practices. The deadline for submissions is 23 August<\/strong>. Hosted by Tactical Tech in Berlin, the three-day Exposing the Invisible Investigation Residency<\/em> invites experienced EU-based journalists, fact-checkers, researchers and investigators to gather together to enhance their skills, generate new ideas and develop collaborations. Taking place from 30 September to 2 October, the 2026 gathering will focus on three major topics affecting societies today:\u00a0AI and Us, Growing Up with Tech, and Mapping the Depths of the Ocean. The deadline for applications is 5 July<\/strong>. The\u00a0Second International Child and Family Conference, organised by the University of Bristol, will take place next year,\u00a0from 14 June to 16 June 2027. The conference will seek to explore how the complexities of the world shape the lives of children and their families globally, nationally and locally; inform the various strategies these groups use to navigate current challenges; and influence research and policy responses. The conference welcomes the submission of papers, panels, workshops, roundtables, and posters from a range of disciplines. The deadline for this call is 9 October<\/strong>. The Digital News Report Ireland 2026<\/em><\/a> was published on 16 June. The 2026 report shows that Irish people continue to trust major news brands but are losing trust in news more generally. Research for this annual report is undertaken by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford while analysis of the Irish data is provided by the DCU Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society (FuJo) and publication is by Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n. On 4 June, the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), in partnership with the Ombudsman for Children\u2019s Office (OCO) and Insight Research Centre for Data Analytics, DCU, launched\u00a0Irish Young People Decode AI: Verdicts from NYCI\u2019s Citizens\u2019 Youth Juries<\/em><\/a>. <\/em>This report presents the findings of NYCI\u2019s Citizens\u2019 Youth Juries on AI, involving 48 young people from across Ireland. It explores young people\u2019s views on the opportunities and risks posed by AI, including its impact on education, jobs, misinformation, online safety and the environment, and it sets out their recommendations for policymakers. Hope and Courage Collective last month released the fourth in its series of election snapshot reports outlining interference and smears, harassment, and threats to election integrity in the Galway and Dublin by-election campaign 2026. The report<\/a> highlights the ongoing and serious risks to democratic participation and the growing normalisation of hostility and harassment online.\u00a0 This multi-stage, mixed-methods research project explores the experiences of adults and children aged 13\u201317 who use online communities. The research is aimed at increasing understanding of what users of online communities gain from them, where they encounter problems, and which service levers help or harm participation and wellbeing.\u00a0While both adults and children perceive social benefits in participating in online communities, users also identify downsides and want meaningful control over their experience. Ofcom has published\u00a0a series\u00a0of recommendations\u00a0for ways in which broadcasters, online platforms and streamers might develop, pursue and evaluate activities or initiatives relevant to media literacy.\u00a0The ten\u00a0recommendations<\/a> set out a clear\u00a0vision for how\u00a0a broad range of\u00a0services can\u00a0empower\u00a0the public\u00a0to navigate and thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Ofcom has also published a statement setting out new measures to be included in the Illegal Content Codes of Practice <\/em>and Protection of Children Codes of Practice<\/em> to appropriately respond to a crisis event. This statement<\/a> recommends that service providers should prepare and apply a crisis protocol to mitigate and manage the risks arising from a significant increase in relevant illegal content and\/or content harmful to children on their services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n EDMO<\/strong><\/a> is an EU-wide network of factcheckers, media literacy practitioners and researchers seeking to build resilience to disinformation. EDMO Ireland developed the Be Media Smart \u2018Workshop in a Box\u2019<\/a>, works on media literacy research and standards, and co-hosts the annual Disinformation Forum with MLI. Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n<\/a><\/strong> is Ireland\u2019s agency for developing and regulating a thriving, diverse, creative, safe and trusted media landscape. Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n funds and facilitates MLI, and promotes media literacy initiatives for individuals, communities, policymakers and institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n EDMO Ireland was delighted to receive funding from Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n to investigate the mainstreaming of media literacy in Ireland<\/a>. The funding will support the implementation of Ireland’s National Counter Disinformation Strategy by investigating how media literacy is best adopted across key Irish sectors as a disinformation countermeasure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n EDMO Ireland also recently delivered bespoke training on manipulation and how to respond to the Romanian Community of Ireland<\/a> and to the Dublin Public Participation Networks (PPNs) during their Summer School<\/a>. They also delivered a public talk on the \u2018Influence Industry\u2019 at DLR Lexicon library.<\/a> If your organisation or community group would like to explore a collaboration, EDMO would love to hear from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At EU level, EDMO Ireland was represented in Lithuania at the DG AGRI Workshop on LEADER and Social Resilience<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The EDMO network recently also concluded a specialised Training Series on Identity-Based Disinformation<\/a>. If you missed the live sessions, the recordings are available on the EU-EDMO website. This is a valuable resource for understanding how disinformation targets specific communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In early June, members of Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n\u2019s Media Literacy and User Education team attended the International\u00a0Media Literacy Research Symposium<\/a> in Rome, where they delivered a presentation on reporting harmful content online and the role of regulators in upholding rights and empowering audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As part of its guides and resources<\/a>, Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n is delighted to share its new website page on accessing parental controls<\/a>\u00a0for a number of video-sharing platforms based in Ireland. This helpful page includes advice on how to make a complaint about these controls and other compliance issues under the Online Safety Code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n As part of the EDMO Training Programme, an online session on 6 July<\/strong> will ask how do we make sense of what we hear and see? The session will also explore how AI-generated images, audio, video, and text interact with coordinated influence operations, platform dynamics, and emotional narratives to affect how citizens interpret and engage with information. The session is designed to deepen understanding and support participants in adapting their own educational, journalistic, and civic practices to a rapidly changing media ecosystem. As part of the Media Education Lab webinar series, an evening panel discussion will take place on 6 July<\/strong> to examine Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical,\u00a0Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence<\/em>, and the broader questions it raises about AI ethics, education, and our shared digital future. Panellists will explore the encyclical’s key arguments, examine secular and cross-faith responses to its framework, and discuss what its call for discernment looks like in concrete classroom and library practice.\u00a0 The counter-disinformation community will meet for #Disinfo2026 in\u00a0Vilnius, Lithuania. The main conference days on\u00a07\u20138 October<\/strong>\u00a0will feature a full programme of sessions in a variety of formats, and pre-conference workshops will be organised on 6 October. Registration for the event is now open. The AONTAS Adult Education Summit 2026 will be held 21\u201322 October<\/strong> at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre and Radisson Blu Hotel. The 2026 theme is\u00a0Shaping Europe\u2019s Future through Adult Education<\/em> and the event welcomes educators, learners, policymakers, and community leaders from across Ireland and Europe to explore the role of adult and community education in shaping a more inclusive, equal, and sustainable future. \u00a0Registration is now open for this event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n A Media & Learning Association webinar entitled Verifying What We See: Introducing VISAVIS on Visual Misinformation<\/em><\/a>, which took place in February, is now available to view. The webinar introduced the\u00a0VISAVIS project, a European initiative focused on strengthening people\u2019s ability to recognise and verify misleading visual content, including manipulated and AI-generated images. Speakers presented key insights from the project, shared practical verification approaches, and discussed how visual literacy can be strengthened through education and training. You can view the recording here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A recording has been made available of a Media & Learning Association webinar entitled Media Literacy in action, producing radio and podcasts for young audiences<\/em><\/a>, which took place in April. This webinar explored how radio and podcast production can be used as powerful tools for media literacy education. The session highlighted how hands-on media creation enables young people to move beyond passive consumption and become critical, responsible communicators. You can view the recording This Month in Media Literacy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Announcements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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DCU FuJo seeks 18\u201330s for Media Literacy Incubator participants<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nIrish creatives win gold in Cannes<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nGet ready for the 2026 MLI Awards<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nNew online intimate image abuse campaign launched<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/a><\/strong> \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nNational Financial Literacy Strategy Stakeholder Forum<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nGlobal Launch of the Family Guide for the Digital Age<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nShare your thoughts: AI Opinion Campaign\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nMinDiShield supports minority communities against online disinformation<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nNews Literacy Unplugged: Offline activities boost critical thinking in an online world<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nGrants available for cross-border collaborative investigations on the impact of AI<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCalls to the Media Literacy Community<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Call for participants: UNESCO Youth Hackathon\u00a02026\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCall for participants: Voices Festival<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nCall for participants: Exposing the Invisible\u00a0Investigation Residency 2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCall for Papers: International Child and Family Conference<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a>
<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nResearch and Reports<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nReuters Digital News Report (Ireland) 2026 launched<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nNational Youth Council of Ireland Report on Young People and AI<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nGalway and Dublin By-election 2026 \u2013 Smears, Harassment and Threats to Election Integrity<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nOfcom research: Adults\u2019 and children\u2019s experiences of online communities<\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nOfcom publishes statements and recommendations for the promotion of media literacy<\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Key Partner Updates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nEDMO Ireland Update<\/strong>s<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n Update<\/strong>s<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Events<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEDMO Training on Generative AI and Hybrid Influence \u2013 6 July<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nWebinar: AI and Human Dignity \u2013 6 July<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSave the date: Disinfo2026 \u2013 7\u20138 October<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe AONTAS Adult Education Summit 2026 \u2013 21\u201322 October<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Case You Missed It <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nVerifying what we see: introducing VISAVIS on visual misinformation \u2013 18 February<\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Media Literacy in action: producing radio and podcasts for young audiences \u2013 22 April<\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n