“Youth connected against disinformation” 

In a world where information spreads faster than ever, critical thinking and media literacy are more important than ever. In our new project “Youth connected against disinformation”, we give the voice and power to young people in the fight against disinformation, because we believe in their potential and desire for change.

The project, which we are implementing with the financial support of the British Council in Bulgaria and in partnership with the Association of European Journalists-Bulgaria, was launched with an ambitious goal: to stimulate youth initiatives and transform young people from passive consumers into active creators of quality content.

 

Project calendar:

  • Competition for ideas and support for 12 youth projects (May – June 2025):

Invitation for a competition for youth projects – read here

Invitation for a journalism competition for youth – read here

 

  • Pitching session to help young people present their ideas to an audience (June 2025)

See the materials here

 

  • Selected youth initiatives (July 2025) – implementing stage:

We received dozens of inspiring ideas, from which we chose to support financially and with mentorship more than the planned 12. These projects cover a wide range of formats – from events and video series to interactive websites, journalistic and educational materials. Our goal was to provide not only funds, but also mentorship to help young authors turn their ideas into successful and impactful products. We would like to thank the two mentors from the Association of European Journalists – Bulgaria: Katerina Vasileva and Ivan Radev, who will work with the young content creators. Here are the projects that will receive support for implementation:

  • Board game “Offline – no filters, no hate” – a project by Victoria Mileva from Sofia – link
  • “Think critically, act logically” – a project by Svetoslav Trifonov and classmates from Dobrich – link
  • “Filtered reality” by Tsveta Angelkova and Rada Valevska – link
  • “Don’t get caught in the net” – by Megan Krasteva and a team from Fakulteta district, Sofia –  link

and the following journalistic studies from the young content creators:

  • Borislava Popova – “Every night I dreamed of the perfect image on my phone”. How online trends push girls towards eating disorders (link)
  • Simona Sakarova – “Music that shapes relationships. How sexist lyrics of modern rap songs influence young people?” (link);
  • Elena Dimitrova – “Immense distrust”. Can the state cope with online harassment against women (link);
  • Dilyana Stoyanova – “Speaking up to survive: women against online violence” (link);
  • Valeria Pramatarova – “Under pressure for perfection. The invisible side of online harassment against girls” (link);
  • Natali Petrova – “How can a mistake on the Internet turn into a nightmare for a child?” (link);
  • Ivet Atanasova – “Gossips that Hurt. What Dangers Do Young People Face in Closed Online Groups” (link);
  • Katrin Radoslavova – Psychological Analysis of People Who Are Able to Harass Women Online (линк);
  • Borislav Borisov – Video with Anonymized Interviews with Girls, Victims of Distribution of Their Private Photos Without Consent (forthcoming publication);
  • Krasimira Yosifova – Working Title of the Material: “How Much Do You Give Her? Do You Think They Are Real to Her?” (forthcoming publication)

 

  • Traveling exhibition (January 2026):

We believe that the results of these efforts should reach the maximum number of people. Therefore, in addition to a final exhibition (March 2026), which will present all the achievements, we will also create a traveling exhibition. It will tour different cities in the country, showing the products and effects of youth projects. In this way, we will spread their messages and clearly show how critical thinking can be applied in practice.

What is the exhibition?

  • The exhibition consists of 15 panels measuring 1.00 x 0.70 m, printed on high-quality vinyl (see illustration below).
  • Each panel represents a title, the name of the author and a summary of the respective youth project.
  • Each vinyl contains a QR code that allows students, teachers and parents to quickly and easily access additional material (video, article or educational game) and to learn in detail about the commentary topic.

Logistics of the household:

  • Place of display: The exhibition is placed on the external fence of schools in the country, expressed interest.
  • Installation: OPEN SPACE Foundation provides the production of the vinyls and all necessary materials for installation. Installation is done easily and quickly with the help of the so-called “pigtails” (zip ties), which are also provided by us.
  • Duration: The exhibition will be on the fence of each school for a period of 14 days, after which it will continue to the next school according to a pre-prepared schedule. Participation is completely free.

If you would like to visit the exhibition at your school, please contact us at info@openspacebg.com or 0877552611.

 

  • Scaling of the best ideas (December 2025 – March 2026):

After careful analysis, three of the supported ones will be selected for scaling. This means that we will provide them with additional support to reach an even larger audience and have an even greater impact.

 

 

  •  + Invitation to participate in an International conference (October 2025)

As a bonus for their hard work, young people participating in the project will receive an invitation to join the International Conference “Digital Citizens”, which will be held in Sofia from 9 to 11 October 2025. This is a chance for them to meet with experts from Europe, exchange experiences and continue to develop in the field of media literacy.

A special guest at the conference will be Professor Olga Jurash, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for the Protection of Women Online (UK). We will talk to her about legal and policy responses to online violence against women, the harm of online violence against women in politics and online harassment.

The “Youth Connected Against Disinformation” project is living proof that young people are not just the future, but the present in the fight against disinformation. They have the energy, creativity and desire to create a more literate and informed society.