This is no mere coincidence. It is the logical consequence of an ecosystem where rigorous journalism coexists with propaganda, opinion masquerading as fact, and, increasingly, AI-generated content that mimics the appearance of reality.

And this affects all generations, albeit in different ways. The teenager who gets their news from TikTok doesn’t realize that the video they just shared was generated by AI. The elderly person who receives a message on WhatsApp about their pension and doesn’t know how to verify it. Anyone who unwittingly helps spread misinformation they receive on social media.

In light of this, the response cannot be solely technological or legislative. It must also be educational.

Media literacy has become one of the greatest challenges facing global democracies. In an information-saturated environment, where news, opinions, propaganda, and AI-generated content coexist, distinguishing what is reliable is no longer just a skill—it is an skill .

The School of Communication the University of Navarra has established itself as a leader in the fight against misinformation and in promoting media literacy. Currently, faculty members at Fcom are working on four projects— IBERIFIER Plus, INMERS, InfoFacto, and SPQR—that address the issue from different angles but share a common goal: media literacy as tool misinformation.

According to researcher Charo Sádaba, this approach far beyond simply knowing how to identify fake news: "Media literacy is about ensuring that citizens have the ability to engage with the media critically and participate in those environments in a positive and constructive way." In other words, it is not just about detecting hoaxes, but about understanding how the media ecosystem works and acting manager it.

"Media literacy means ensuring that citizens have the ability to engage with the media critically and participate in those environments in a positive and constructive way"
Charo Sádaba, researcher

Four projects, four different audiences, one shared conviction

The first of these projects is IBERIFIER Plus, the second phase (2024–2026) of IBERIFIER, the Iberian observatory for digital media and the fight against disinformation promoted by the European Commission. Its work brings together fact-checking organizations in multiple languages, the use of artificial intelligence tools to detect disinformation, and the production of strategic reports aimed at institutions and the public. The observatory, which brings together 25 organizations in Spain and Portugal, is led by researcher Salaverría from the University of Navarra.

For Ramón Salaverría, the goal valuable goal is not so much monitoring disinformation campaigns, but rather "positive action—action that helps people develop the skills to consume information safely on digital networks." In this regard, IBERIFIER Plus promotes programs and coordinates with universities, fact-checkers, and research centers research foster responsible habits among the public. "Based on that knowledge, we design media literacy initiatives based on real-life cases, which makes them more concrete, understandable, and useful," explains Salaverría.

On the other hand, InfoFacto is a project at teenagers and young adults, which seeks to train them to identify misinformation on social media, especially that amplified or generated by artificial intelligence. It does so through digital platforms, campaigns, and participatory workshops. “The resources are created with young people, not just for them,” explains Clara González Tosat, a researcher on project. “That financial aid us ensure financial aid the content reflects their real digital experiences.”

The data the project the urgency of the situation: 97% of young Europeans use the internet regularly, with TikTok, Instagram YouTube serving as YouTube primary sources of information. However, only 36% actively verify the content they consume, and 79% of Gen Z teenagers use artificial intelligence tools without having the skills to assess their reliability.

Furthermore, the project is project limited to classroom. Parents and teachers are brought in as "educational mediators" and receive training modules, guides with questions to discuss misinformation at home, and structured materials to introduce media literacy in schools.

"We design media literacy initiatives based on real-life cases, which makes them more concrete, understandable, and useful"
Ramón Salaverría, researcher at IBERIFIER Plus

INMERS is a project that focuses on a group that, according to researchers, has traditionally been overlooked: people over the age of 65, especially in rural areas. Through in-person workshops tailored to each region (Navarre, Lapland, and Transylvania are the participating regions), the project provides project with tools to navigate the digital environment with greater independence.

The challenges here are different. "This is a particularly vulnerable audience," explains Sádaba, "because they consume information and are interested in it, but they don't always have the means to verify whether it's true or not." Furthermore, factors such as geographic isolation or the use of minority languages (Basque, Sami, or Hungarian) add complexity to the problem: in those regions, news sources in their language are more limited, which poses an challenge when it comes to verifying information.

Added to this is a psychological phenomenon that Sádaba specifically highlights in this group : the so-called "third-person effect," the tendency to believe that anyone can be deceived except oneself. The researcher explains why this bias is particularly persistent among older adults: "Their beliefs are more firmly established, and they also support them with their experiences, which are numerous—as many as the years they have lived."

This makes it harder to question the information they receive than it is for younger people, who do not carry that accumulated weight of certainties. That is why those with more life experience are sometimes more vulnerable to certain messages, especially when they appeal to emotions or everyday concerns such as retirement benefits or healthcare.

The fourth project, SPQR ( an acronym for Social Problem, Quality Response), takes a approach : active citizen participation as a response to misinformation. Led by the Maldita.es Foundation and co-funded by the European Commission, the project to encourage young people, students, and the general public not only to avoid manipulated information but also to get involved in identifying and correcting it.

Over the next two years, SPQR will organize participatory events in Spain, Italy, and Poland—both in-person and online—with the goal reaching more than 2,000 people. Through a approach , participants will gain the tools to identify, investigate, and counter misinformation, covering the entire process: from prevention to verification and follow-up analysis.

Fcom's involvement is not limited to research: the project also project integrated into theinternship teaching internship , giving students a firsthand look at the realities of professional work .

"Resources are created with young people, not just for them. That financial aid us ensure that the content reflects their real-life digital experiences."
Clara González Tosat, researcher at InfoFacto

Beyond Debunking Hoaxes

One of the core topic all four projects is the need to avoid a reductionist view of media literacy. Determining whether a news story is false or not is only part of goal .

Media literacy means understanding who produces information, how algorithms influence what we see, and what responsibility we have as users. "It also means not spreading misinformation, fostering constructive debates, and respecting diversity," Sádaba emphasizes.

In this regard, the focus of the projects in which the university participates varies depending on age. While work with young people focuses on building trust in reliable sources and the role of institutions, the goal with older adults goal strengthen critical thinking and avoid excessive credulity toward certain messages, especially those that appeal to emotions or personal concerns. In the case of InfoFacto, this work young people also includes a teaching component, where, as González Tosat explains, they create “video clips that promote peer learning, encouraging young people to share their experiences and tips for spotting misinformation.”

Challenges and the Future

Advances in artificial intelligence add an extra layer of complexity. Tools capable of generating fake images, videos, or text are making it increasingly difficult to detect misinformation. However, these same technologies can also be used to combat it.

"We are at a point where artificial intelligence is both part of the problem and part of the solution," Sádaba acknowledges. The core topic on directing its development applications that enhance verification and transparency.

At the institutional level, engagement has grown in recent years, driven in particular by the European Union. In Spain, the committee Experts on the development Safe Digital Environments for Children and Adolescents recommended in 2024 that more focused efforts be made on media literacy, a recommendation that was adopted by both the Ministry of Children and Adolescents and the Ministry of Education. However, Sádaba warns that this momentum depends largely on the political priorities of the moment: “The moment that interest wanes, I suspect that the interest of local and regional governments will also wane. But right now is a good time for media literacy.”

Despite this, projects such as IBERIFIER Plus, INMERS, InfoFacto, and SPQR are moving in a clear direction. They do not merely seek to study misinformation, but to directly engage the public in order to foster a society capable of staying better informed, participating more manager discussion , and thereby sustaining stronger democracies.