Aspen Institute Kyiv invites participants to submit applications for the project on countering disinformation from Aspen Institute Germany

The Aspen Institute Germany invites social media influencers and content creators to apply for a new project aimed at sparking a transnational conversation about how to deal with disinformation online. Through two in-person trips to Berlin and Prague, as well as digital workshops, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their responsibilities, learn from each other, and discuss how to deal with disinformation, including hate speech.

Participants will work together on recommendations, which will be presented to policy-makers, social media platforms, and civil society organizations.

Apply by March 15, 2023 and take part in a unique international encounter!

• social media influencers/content creators 
• from Central & Eastern Europe/Germany/the Baltics
• 2 study tours to Berlin & Prague and 2 digital workshops
• one-year project on best practices against disinformation

Why This Project?

Influencers and content creators have a prominent role in today’s digital information environment. They form opinions and are trusted by their community. At the same time, false or intentionally misleading information is easily spread through social media platforms without much regulation, which is threatening the resilience of democracies. Russia’s war against Ukraine is a case in point of an information war playing out on social media. Influencers can make an essential contribution to the gathering of knowledge and the development of better regulations for a healthy information environment. With their reach and reputation, they also bear a special responsibility, especially when communicating about social and political topics. The project aims for a holistic approach that brings involved actors into the conversation: The influencers themselves but also the platforms on which the influencers are active and the political decision-makers who shape digital policy.

We Want You!

• Are you an active influencers/content creator with at least 15,000 followers on popular social media/messenger channels?

• Are you confident in your English abilities?
• Do have followers in Central and Eastern Europe, Germany, or the Baltic States?
• Do you have an interest in international exchange and the project’s topics?
• Can you actively participate in all of the four meetings?
• Are you willing to contribute to the development of recommendations to be presented to
• policy-makers, social media platforms, and civil society organizations?

What the Project Offers

Over the course of the year 2023, you will be part of a select international group of 15 participants from Central and Eastern Europe, Germany, and the Baltic States.You will take part in two in-person study tours, one online welcome event, and one mid-term online workshop. For the study tours, you will travel with a distinguished group of influencers/content creators and Aspen staff to Berlin and to Prague. During the meetings, you will meet high-level speakers from the Aspen network, academics, experts, and decision-makers, exchange lessons-learned with other influencers, discuss mechanisms of disinformation and their dissemination via social media, and how to counter them. You will take away new learnings and help provide important insights in a highly relevant subject matter. We would like you to make friends and stay in contact with other participants after the project, so you can exchange ideas and best practices in the future.

On A Glance

• April 04, 2023 – 2h interactive digital workshop
• June 2023 – 3d study tour to Berlin
• Sept 2023 – 2h interactive digital workshop
• Nov /Dec 2023 – 3d study tour to Prague
• Dec 2023/Jan 2024 – finalization of recommendations
• Jan 2024 – digital closing event & presentation of final results

All dates are preliminary. The design and schedule of the program may be subject to change in case of unforeseen events.

Apply Now!

To apply, please fill out the online form here: https://forms.office.com/e/KuMDN7A6Wq

Please send your application no later than March 15, 2023. After receiving your application, we will conduct online interviews and select the 15 participants on this basis.

Contact

For questions, see the FAQ below For further questions about the project and the application, please send a message to Elisabeth Nöfer at noefer@aspeninstitute.de.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Costs are Covered?

If we chose you as a participant, we provide full coverage of travel, food, and accommodation expenses during the study tours. However, we are a non-profit organization and are not able to pay a compensation for taking part in the project.

Who Is Behind this Project?

We, the Aspen Institute Germany, initiated and organize the project. The project is supported by the Aspen Institute Kyiv, the Aspen Institute Central Europe, and the Aspen Institute Romania. The project is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

How Are the Participants Selected?

We select the group based on motivation and general suitability for the project. We aim for a diverse group of participants in terms of countries, age, gender, and social media channels used.

What Are the Expectations Regarding Participation?

• Attend all four meetings, including the digital workshops and the study tours.
• Contribute to the development of recommendations to be presented to policy-makers, social media platforms, and civil society organizations. For this we ask you to provide feedback and participate in the compilation of final results.
• Events are held under the Chatham House Rule to create an atmosphere of trust for an open and honest dialogue. You should be prepared to accept these terms.

What Are the Preconditions for Participating in the Project?

• We ask that you to actively participate and share your insights and ideas with the group.
• You should be willing to engage in an open and honest exchange, share your experiences, deal constructively with criticism and other opinions, and have the openness to learn from others.
• You have no obligations other than to attend the events and provide us with feedback and best practices. We would appreciate if you would stay in touch with the other participants after and independently from the project.

For more details please visit web-site of Aspen Institute Germany: www.aspeninstitute.de