New, youth-led broadcast project set to tackle election misinformation and disinformation
- By editor
- 21 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A new youth-led broadcast project is set to tackle misinformation and disinformation during the upcoming Scottish election.
The project, Future Proof, is an initiative led by the Scottish Youth Film Foundation (SYFF). Six young journalists from across Scotland have been recruited, to report on election campaigns through the lens of misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated content.
One of the journalists, Rory Kirkpatrick from Edinburgh, said: “As misinformation seems to get more and more prevalent, bringing attention to the truth only becomes more important.
“I believe we all must adapt to the ways that the spread of misinformation is changing in the age of social media. I’m joining SYFF's Future Proof newsroom with the aim of helping people stay informed so that they can make decisions based on facts.”
Starting from 8 April, the team will produce four weekly live shows on YouTube, broadcasting every Tuesday at 6pm until 29 April. Each programme will investigate misleading claims, fabricated facts and AI-generated content circulating during the campaign, while highlighting the issues that matter most to young voters.
Following each broadcast, the team will host an interactive webinar, allowing young people across Scotland to question the journalists directly and engage with expert guests on the key topics shaping the election. The sessions aim to support engagement among young and first-time voters, while also providing relevant discussion material for teachers and pupils in schools.
David Barras, co-founder of SYFF said: “Future Proof puts young people at the heart of one of the most important conversations in modern democracy – how we recognise truth in an age of misinformation.
“By giving young journalists the tools to investigate claims and question narratives, we’re helping ensure that the next generation of voters is informed, confident and ready to engage.”
The project is being advised by Huw Owen, a former BBC Scotland news editor. He said:
"The impact of malicious and careless communication via digital and social media is now having a profound effect on all our lives. Supercharged by AI fakes, it is fuelling polarisation and fear within and between many of our communities here in Scotland and beyond. It is a clear threat to civilised debate and long-shared democratic values.”
Established in 2014, SYFF is a charity dedicated to improving the life outcomes of young Scots through film. Patrons include actors Jason Connery and Jack Lowden.
Photography: Tom Duffin, of the Future Proof team
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