Flemish influencers are joining forces to combat fake news as part of a campaign launched by the Flemish Minister of Interior, Hilde Crevits, on Monday.
Around 40% people in Flanders rarely or never check the reliability of news. The campaign, 'Is That True?', aims to raise awareness for the issue and help young people critically assess online information.
Spearheading the initiative are content creator and writer, Maximiliaan Verheyen, Youtuber and TikToker, Timon Verbeeck, and Ghent-based influencer, Mariam Hakobyan.
"With this campaign, we want to make young people aware of the impact of disinformation, because it can also encourage harmful polarisation, or turn people against each other," said Crevits (CD&V) .
With the slogan Check Before You Click, the campaign targets schools, social media, and YouTube. Posters with striking fake news headlines, an informative website, and creative videos from influencers will raise awareness among young people about the risks of misinformation.
The campaign will continue until August 2025, and will tackle topics such as social media algorithms, propaganda, and conspiracy theories.
"In a world where social media and online platforms inundate young people with information, it is crucial that we teach them from an early age to think critically about what they read and see," said Crevits.
