EDMO Ireland was invited to deliver a two-hour workshop on disinformation as part of the Dublin Region Public Participation Networks (PPN) Summer School. The session, led by Eileen Culloty, was attended by a wide range of community representatives.
PPNs provide a vital link between local authorities and community groups across Ireland, giving citizens a greater say in local government decisions that affect their communities. The three main types of community groups in the PPN are: voluntary groups such as sports clubs, cultural societies, Meals on Wheels, or TidyTowns; local organisations formed to protect the environment such as An Taisce or BirdWatch Ireland; and groups representing people who are socially excluded and whose voices are often not heard including people with disabilities, migrants, or Travellers.
The EDMO Ireland workshop aimed to equip those leading these networks with insights on how to respond to disinformation and diverse information needs within communities.
It explored what disinformation is (and what it isn’t) and the complex range of factors that may lead people to believe or share false information. Participants discussed the challenges of evaluating claims, the reasons behind public mistrust in some information sources, and how to talk respectfully and constructively with people in their communities who may express views based on disinformation.
