• Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
• Danela Arsovska, Mayor of Skopje, Member of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Spokesperson on Ethics and prevention of corruption
• Gill Phillips, Co-editor of McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists

(Online connection to Strasbourg)

Panelists: Péter Krekó, Executive Director, Political Capital; Gábor Polyák, Research Director, Mérték Media Monitor; Raluca Radu, Professor at the Department of Journalism, Faculty of Journalism and Communication Studies, University of Bucharest

Intervenant·es : Krisztina Nagy, fondatrice, Idea Foundation ; Szilárd Teczár, rédacteur en chef, Lakmusz ; Christopher Coakley, Unité du porte-parole, Parlement européen

Outcomes from Budapest: Youth Ideas to Outsmart Disinformation

At the European Youth Centre in Budapest, young participants of the Council of Europe Hackathon Satellite Event presented bold, creative solutions to combat disinformation and promote democratic resilience. Their proposals addressed challenges such as health-related misinformation, echo chambers, and media literacy through AI-supported fact-checking tools, dual-perspective news feeds, and verified public health information systems. Rooted in transparency, critical thinking, and user empowerment, these youth-led ideas will inform the Council of Europe’s wider strategy—proving that young voices are not only alert to digital threats, but actively shaping the future of democratic dialogue.

Solutions presented by the youth participants at the Council of Europe Hackathon Satellite Event in Budapest:

• "EchoUnpack" – A digital tool designed to break users out of echo chambers by presenting contrasting perspectives on the same topic in real time, encouraging more balanced and reflective engagement.
• "Verify+ Health" – A mobile app that connects users with verified, multilingual public health information, counters disinformation, and allows real-time reporting of suspicious health claims.
• "FactEcho" – An AI-powered browser extension that detects potentially misleading content in live newsfeeds and offers fact-checked alternatives or contextual information, helping users navigate digital news responsibly.
• "Think Twice" – An awareness campaign and toolkit to be deployed in schools, using gamified learning to boost critical thinking and disinformation detection among teenagers.
• "The Truth Booth" – A physical or virtual installation concept allowing people to anonymously share how disinformation has affected them personally—turning abstract threats into relatable, human stories.