In recent years, disinformation has become a major issue in Albania. According to INSTAT, 98 percent of Albanians aged 16–29 used the internet to participate in social networks, while 88.9 percent used the internet to read news sites, newspapers, or news magazines.
Social media platforms and online spaces have become the primary source of information for young people, but they are also filled with misleading narratives, false information, and manipulative content.
This directly affects how young people understand politics, democracy, and social issues. In many cases, misinformation creates confusion, increases polarization, and weakens trust in institutions. This is a critical problem to address because democracy depends on informed citizens who are able to make decisions based on facts and reliable information.
Our organization, EU Policy Hub, is committed to addressing this issue. As a youth-led civil society organization in Albania, we work to empower young people through civic education, democratic participation, and the promotion of European values.
Our initiative, “YouthGuard: Combating Disinformation and Strengthening Democracy,” will be implemented in Albania to address the growing spread of disinformation and fake news. The project’s main goal is to strengthen young people’s ability to identify disinformation, develop critical thinking, and become active and responsible citizens in both digital and community spaces.
It aims to equip young people with practical tools that will help them verify information, question unreliable sources, and understand the impact that fake news can have on democratic processes. Beyond education, our aim is also to inspire young people to take a more active role in defending truth, promoting transparency, and participating in democratic dialogue.
Preparing a generation of critical thinkers
The project will directly involve 60 young people aged 15 to 30, including students, youth activists, first-time voters, and young community leaders. These groups are particularly important because they are among the most active consumers of digital information and, at the same time, among the most influential in shaping the future of democracy.
By targeting this age group, we aim to create a generation of informed and critical thinkers who can positively influence their communities.
To achieve these goals, the project will implement a series of activities designed to combine learning, discussion, and action.
Workshops are being organized focusing on media literacy, digital safety, fact-checking, and identifying manipulation techniques. During the first workshop in Lezha, young participants shared their personal experiences with fake news and misinformation, including cases where they had themselves been exposed to or targeted by misleading information.
They explained that, in many cases, they did not know where to find reliable information or practical guidance on how to recognize and avoid such content. Given the speed and constant flow of information online, they also described difficulties in distinguishing trustworthy sources from misleading or manipulative content.
The participants highlighted the need for practical skills in fact-checking, verifying sources, and navigating the digital information environment more safely and critically.
Second, we will launch an online awareness campaign aimed at reaching a wider audience of young people. Through social media content, infographics, and educational posts, this campaign will raise awareness about the dangers of fake news and encourage young people to verify information before sharing it.
This digital component is important because it allows the project to extend its impact beyond just the workshop participants.
Third, we will organize a Youth Policy Forum, which will be one of the most impactful parts of the project. It will bring together young people, experts, and policymakers to discuss how disinformation affects democracy and what solutions can be developed at the local and national levels.
It will provide a platform for youth voices to be heard and for their recommendations to be transformed into concrete policy ideas. We expect this activity to strengthen the connection between youth and NGOs, local governments, and media, as well as promote trust and active engagement.
Future defenders of democracy
Although the project has just started and the activities are progressing, we are already seeing strong interest from young people and community stakeholders.
Rina Cakrani, Project Coordinator at HANA Youth Center, emphasized the importance of initiatives like this in helping young people develop the skills they need to identify fake news and navigate the digital environment more confidently.
“Projects like this help us guide young people towards developing their ability to recognize fake news and strengthen their digital skills. The issue of fake news resonates deeply with young people because they encounter it every day in their digital lives. Their early interest and engagement give us confidence that the project can create a meaningful impact.”
The issue of fake news resonates deeply with youth because they experience it every day in their digital lives. This early interest gives us confidence that the project will create a meaningful impact.
We expect the outcomes of YouthGuard to become visible both during and after the implementation phase.
In the short term, we aim to train at least 60 young people in media literacy and digital democracy. We also expect participants to improve their ability to critically assess information, identify manipulation, and engage more responsibly online.
In the long term, we hope the project will contribute to a broader culture of critical thinking, stronger youth participation in democratic discussions, and increased resilience against misinformation in Albanian society.
Looking ahead, the intention is to expand YouthGuard beyond this first phase. We would like to bring the project into schools, universities, and youth centers, while developing more accessible educational tools and online resources.
Our vision is to build a sustainable network of young people committed to promoting accurate information, civic responsibility, and democratic values.
This project is an important step in strengthening democratic resilience in our community. It reminds us that fighting disinformation is not only about technology or media — it is about empowering people with knowledge, critical thinking, and the confidence to make informed decisions.
For our community, YouthGuard represents an opportunity to invest in young people as the protectors of truth and the future defenders of democracy.
