Building on the success of the Agent C project in NSW, All Together Now is thrilled to announce the expansion of the program nationwide. Research indicates that exposure to online fake news and disinformation/misinformation begins at an increasingly younger age. In response, we are now offering the program to young people aged 12-14.
Thanks to generous funding from Deutsche Bank, we have tailored the program to address the specific needs, vulnerabilities, and capacities of young people aged 12-14. This newly developed 2-hour program for Year 7 and 8 students will be available free of charge to schools throughout Australia until the end of 2024.
The Importance of Agent C: Empowering Young People Against Online Misinformation
Children and young people are increasingly vulnerable to engaging with fake news and conspiracy theories online, including divisive and hateful forms. In 2021, All Together Now initiated the Agent C project in response to the significant rise in online conspiracy theories and fake news exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and extended lockdowns, which also created ideal circumstances for racism and right-wing extremism to flourish.
Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and the impact of international geopolitical events have added a new dimension to the problem of online disinformation. Freely available and largely unregulated AI tools make it possible for anyone to easily generate false information and produce fake and hateful content in large quantities.
In 2021, All Together Now launched the Agent C project, focusing on enhancing the skills and confidence of young people to unpack and critically engage with hateful conspiracy theories and fake news, thereby increasing their agency, resilience and self-worth.
Funded by the NSW Government through Multicultural NSW from 2021 to 2024, Agent C has successfully enhanced the capacity of young people aged 14-21 to better understand and challenge hateful fake news and conspiracy theories, as independently evaluated by Urbis.
For more information and to sign up for your school to participate in the Agent C program, visit https://alltogethernow.org.au/training-and-workshops/agent-c-for-aged-12-14
Additional Resources for Teachers, Educators, Parents, and Frontline Workers
Building on our “Agent C” work, we have developed the Challenging Hateful Misinformation Training. This program is designed for Australian educators, frontline workers and parents to enhance their skills in recognising and responding to hateful and divisive misinformation, fake news and conspiracy theories.
Participants will learn to identify and address divisive narratives and stereotypes, understand the link between misinformation and hate, and gain practical skills to challenge conspiracy theories and fake news. By the end of the training, they will be more confident in tackling controversial issues with their students, clients or children.
For more information about the training, visit https://alltogethernow.org.au/training-and-workshops/hateful-conspiracy-theories-and-fake-news
