The social-first digital media literacy program MediaWise at the nonprofit Poynter Institute continues the international growth of its Teen Fact-Checking Network (TFCN) with the launch of a second newsroom in Europe.
In partnership with Verificat, a Barcelona-based fact-checking organization, and Mobile World Capital Barcelona, the Spanish language fact-checking and media literacy program joins a global network of teen fact-checkers with newsrooms in the United States, Brazil, Germany and India.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Verificat and MWCapital and welcome Spain to the global Teen Fact-Checking Network initiative,” says Brittani Kollar, deputy director of MediaWise. “Gen Z consumes the most digital content, and as that generation ages and becomes our future leaders, the ability and responsibility to sort fact from fiction online becomes ever more critical.”
When the Teen Fact-Checking Network launched in 2018, there were hopes to expand globally, a goal fulfilled by the program’s continued growth now to Spain. As a global initiative, MediaWise is excited to welcome Verificat and MWCapital to the Teen Fact-Checking Network.
The TFCN will empower teens to combat misinformation where they spend most of their time: social media. Through short videos that will captivate and resonate with their peer group, teen fact-checkers will use — and teach — the tools real journalists use to separate fact from fiction, like reverse image searches. And they’ll equip Spaniards their age to talk to friends and family about misinformation.
Verificat’s fact-checking experience coupled with its media literacy educational initiatives, made it a perfect partner for the TFCN expansion. With an established TikTok presence, the organization already meets teens where they are.
TFCN Spain includes 10 teens from around the country and will run for four months. The teens will learn journalistic script-writing, fact-checking and media literacy education. Led by Ona Sindreu, Verificat’s professional fact-checker, the teens pitch and discuss their stories, just as they would in a real newsroom. Once approval is granted the teens begin script-writing, filming and editing. The videos will be published to Verificat’s Instagram and TikTok.
“Teens spend several hours a day on social media platforms, and it is very important to navigate them critically,” says Alba Tobella, director of Verificat. “This program encourages each teenager to find their topics of interest and their way of verifying, always guaranteeing the quality of the sources and journalistic research”.
Supporting TFCN Spain’s inaugural year is Mobile World Capital Barcelona. As a foundation that supports the digital development of society and is a driving force of innovative creation, Mobile World Capital Barcelona is a natural partner with MediaWise.
“The fight against misinformation is crucial in the digital age. This project reflects MWCapital’s strong commitment to leaving no one behind and preparing the next generation with the necessary tools to detect and debunk fake news,” says Eduard Martín, CIO of MWCapital.
Applications for Spain’s second TFCN cohort are now open until March 13, 2024. For more information about requirements and how to submit, please visit Verificat’s application website. Applications are open only to residents of Spain.
About The Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute is a global nonprofit working to address society’s most pressing issues by teaching journalists and journalism, covering the media and the complexities facing the industry, convening and community building, improving the capacity and sustainability of news organizations and fostering trust and reliability of information. The Institute is a gold standard in journalistic excellence and dedicated to the preservation and advancement of press freedom in democracies worldwide. Through Poynter, journalists, newsrooms, businesses, big tech corporations and citizens convene to find solutions that promote trust and transparency in news and stoke meaningful public discourse. The world’s top journalists and emerging media leaders rely on the Institute to learn new skills, adopt best practices, better serve audiences, scale operations and improve the quality of the universally shared information ecosystem.
The Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership, the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), MediaWise and PolitiFact are all members of the Poynter organization.
Support for Poynter and our entities upholds the integrity of the free press and the U.S. First Amendment and builds public confidence in journalism and media — an essential for healthy democracies. Learn more at poynter.org.
About MediaWise
MediaWise is a social-first digital media literacy initiative of the nonprofit Poynter Institute. The program teaches people of all ages and backgrounds how to responsibly engage with online content in the age of information overload. MediaWise was created in 2018 to empower citizens to find trusted sources and make sense of the vast amount of information at their fingertips. MediaWise brings simple, yet effective, digital media literacy tools to people where they are — whether they’re on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, TikTok, or in one of the 10 countries where MediaWise operates — and walk them through every step to determine what’s real and what’s not on the internet. Through MediaWise, everyone can do their part to reduce the spread of misinformation and elevate the facts.
Follow MediaWise on social media to learn how to debunk viral claims and be more critical consumers of online information. Explore programs and be part of the solution at poynter.org/mediawise.
About Verificat
Verificat is the first fact-checking platform in Catalonia, the only one with the recognition of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) and the European Disinformation Observatory (EDMO). It is made up of a neutral, independent and committed team.
About Mobile World Capital Barcelona
Mobile World Capital Barcelona is a public-private foundation that promotes the digital development of society to build a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable future through the humanistic use of technology. MWCapital contributes to the positioning of Barcelona as a global benchmark in the digital field and consolidating MWC’s legacy throughout the year by promoting initiatives in the field of technology transfer, the promotion of digital talent, the development of innovative technological projects with social impact and the generation of knowledge.
MWCapital hosts MWC in Barcelona, is the founder of 4YFN and connects citizens with the latest digital trends through Jump2Digital and Tech&Play.
