Decoding Disinformation Executive Course: Fostering Good Practices and Cooperation

The Executive Course Decoding Disinformation: Fostering Good Practices and Cooperation is a three-week online training designed for busy high-level government staff and other relevant stakeholders who bear the responsibility of shaping or implementing actions to fight mis- and disinformation within their organisations. This course provides a holistic understanding of challenges and potential responses related to combatting mis- and disinformation. It covers digital policy aspects that should be addressed, governance approaches, existing and emerging regional and global policy instruments, and good practices in fighting disinformation.

The course is offered by DiploFoundation (Diplo), with the support of the project ‘Info Trust Alliance’, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ Moldova.

What will you learn?

• How mis- and disinformation are defined, and their interplay with other areas of digital governance
• Policies and regulatory frameworks to combat mis- and disinformation
• Key initiatives to counter disinformation in the context of elections
• Some practical approaches that actors could adopt when seeking to curb mis- and disinformation while upholding rights and freedoms online

How will you learn?

In this course, you will interact intensively in discussions with classmates and lecturers from around the world. You will receive guidance and personalised feedback on your classwork from the course team.

Throughout each course week, participants will read short course materials and interact in online classrooms. During one-hour online meetings held twice weekly, the course faculty will explore concepts further and clarify pending questions. The meetings will take place on Zoom on Mondays and Fridays from 13:00 to 14:00 UTC. 

Participants who complete the course successfully will receive a course certificate.

Prerequisites

All course applicants must have: 

• regular internet access (broadband is preferred)
• basic understanding of online content policy issues OR practical experience with media or journalism 
• an undergraduate university degree 
• sufficient English language skills to undertake postgraduate-level studies

How long will you learn?

The course lasts for 3 weeks:

• 1 week of course introduction and orientation to online learning
• 2 weeks of addressing the course topics one by one (see below for more details)

The course will run from 3rd to 21st February and will be based on a collaborative learning approach involving a high level of interaction. Reading materials and the necessary tools for online interaction are provided in a virtual classroom, while online meetings will take place twice a week on Zoom.  

Overview

The course consists of 2 modules:

• Policies and regulatory frameworks to combat mis- and disinformation. The module presents the main definitions that frame discussions in this area, such as information ecosystem, information pollution, disinformation, misinformation, hate speech, filter bubbles, and echo chambers. We analyse the delicate balance between the need to combat disinformation while upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms. We also provide an analysis of how content policy is being introduced in order to curb societal exposure to mis- and disinformation, as well as of media and information literacy initiatives to empower individuals. 
• Key initiatives to counter disinformation in the context of elections. We take a closer look at how disinformation is being introduced in the context of elections. We discuss how the malicious use of artificial intelligence and deep fakes could further deteriorate the informational ecosystem. We finalise our course with some practical approaches that actors could collaboratively adopt in their strategies to mitigate mis- and disinformation. 

Who should apply

The course will be of interest to:

• High-level government staff and staff from international organisations working on topics related to online content policy, media and journalism, and education. 
• Other relevant stakeholders who bear the responsibility of shaping or implementing actions to fight mis- and disinformation within their organisations.