CONNECT International took part in the TackleDisInfo Final Conference, “Who Still Believes What?”, organised in Brussels by Out of the Box International and the TackleDisInfo partnership. The conference brought together educators, researchers, policymakers and civil society representatives to discuss digital literacy, disinformation and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the information environment.

CONNECT International contributed directly to the discussion, with CONNECT’s General Manager joining the expert panel “Digital Literacy in the AI Era – Are Educators Ready?”

During the panel, we stressed that responding to disinformation cannot rely only on teaching people how to identify individual pieces of false content. Europe needs a broader approach to digital literacy that develops critical thinking, strengthens democratic participation and equips young people to understand how the digital environments around them are designed and governed. CONNECT also underlined that the rapid development of AI makes this challenge even more urgent. AI-generated content, synthetic media and increasingly personalised information environments require education systems and youth organisations to move beyond basic digital skills. Educators and youth workers need the knowledge, resources and institutional support to help young people critically engage with AI and other emerging technologies.

A further priority raised through CONNECT’s contribution was the need to include young people and civil society in shaping digital policy, rather than treating them only as end-users of technologies and policies designed elsewhere. Young people should have meaningful opportunities to influence how AI, digital platforms and emerging technologies are governed, particularly when these systems increasingly affect how they learn, communicate and participate in democratic life.

For CONNECT, tackling disinformation therefore also means addressing digital inequality, investing in digital and media literacy, strengthening the capacities of educators and youth workers, and ensuring that technology contributes to inclusive and resilient democratic societies.

The TackleDisInfo conference provided an important opportunity to bring these priorities into dialogue with educators, policymakers, researchers and civil society actors, while demonstrating how practical educational tools can complement broader policy efforts to build a safer and more informed digital environment.