"STOPmanipulator" - said students from Ivano-Frankivsk during the two-day training

🧠 Information shapes our opinions, decisions and perceptions of the world. But what if some of this information is manipulated? On 9-10 April 2025, a two-day training "STOPmanipulator" was held in Ivano-Frankivsk for those who want to not just read the news, but understand how it is created, by whom and for what purpose.

📚 Journalism students, who are not used to consuming content without question, gathered to figure out how to recognise fake news, see manipulation and set boundaries in the information field. The event was organised by the Academy of Ukrainian Press with the support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in Ukraine.

🌟 The main goal? To understand how manipulations work and learn how to avoid falling into information traps. But these are not lectures and notes - it's a game, analysis, live discussion, analysis of real cases.

💬Valeriy Ivanov, President of the Academy of Ukrainian Press: "Information is not just a text. It is an influence. And it is very important to learn to see who is trying to influence you, how and why".

🧩 Two days - a complete reboot of information thinking. In the programme:

• How does manipulation work?
• Why do we believe in fiction?
• How do social media form our "bubbles"?
• What role does a "just world" play in our perception?
• And what does "think critically" really mean?
• And most importantly, what should we do about it?

💬Yulia Kulyk, AUP Project Coordinator: "We often look for confirmation of our opinions, not the truth. And this is the favourite tool of the manipulator. You just have to realise this, and your mind will change".

💬 Maksym Zaporozhchenko, manager of media education programmes at AUP: "We do not give instructions on how to live. We launch an internal filter that works even when you are tired or busy. And that's when it's most valuable".

🕵️‍♀️ Although it sounds serious, it was actually fun in some places. During the "Media Literacy Mafia" game, you couldn't hide behind phrases like "I think so". We had to think quickly but accurately.

🎯 In conclusion, the participants admitted that during these two days they not only learnt to recognise fakes, but also became more confident. Because media literacy is not about news. It is about freedom of choice.

📍 STOPmanipulator in Ivano-Frankivsk is a meeting with yourself in the information mirror. And it is definitely worth it.

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