With the title “Protect democracy. Together against disinformation” the connecting office of the European Parliament also sets a strong sign of media literacy and against targeted false reports in the second half of 2025. Because democracy lives from freedom of expression and reliable information – both are increasingly threatened by disinformation.
Kick off in Vienna on September 12, 2025
The main focus starts on Friday, September 12th, in Experience Europe (Rotenturmstrasse 19, 1010 Vienna). From 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. the MEPs open Lukas Mandl (ÖVP) and Helmut Brandstätter (NEOS) The new interactive exhibition. Visitors: Exciting hands -on stations and the „Bad News Game“.
Visitors can at seven interactive stations: Check facts in the inside via QR code, solve puzzles and expose manipulative content. The Bad News Game is an interactive learning game for school classes (from 14 years) and groups: In a competition, small groups lead a fictional news portal, consciously use disinformation strategies and then reflect them. The game is offered twice a day.
“Disinformation is a diplomatic term for something that has always been tried, but can now do even more damage via new channels: it’s about lying! Lies are spread in social media, messenger services, pseudomedia and populism so that they can be believed so that our society is then split. To protect against disinformation, we have to rely on general education, common sense, journalism, media literacy, science and the personal exchange of people to person
.“, said MEP Lukas Mandl.
MEP Helmut Brandstätter: “Our democracies are under constant fire – from Russian disinformation campaigns to interference in national elections to targeted manipulation of public debates. We have to oppose these attacks: with education, more media literacy and clear European rules against foreign destabilization attempts. I am all the more pleased that the European Parliament and the Europe experience in Vienna are focusing on this central topic and thus making an important contribution to strengthening our democracy
.“
Panel discussion and film screening in the votive cinema
From 4:00 p.m., the program continues in Votivkino (Währingerstraße 12, 1090 Vienna). In a panel discussion, director speak Fritz MoserMEP Helmut Brandstätter and Prof. Alina Laguer (Professor of European law) about the dangers of disinformation for society and democracy. Afterwards the award -winning documentary „How to Build a Truth Engine“ shown exclusively and free of charge. Registrations for free film screening with panel discussion are accepted at epwien@europarl.europa.eu.
Action days in the federal states
Together with partners, the European Parliament also organizes Action days in Vorarlberg, Upper Austria and Lower Austria. Among other things, the “Bad News Game”, information offers and film screenings are on the program. The current dates can be found on the homepage of the liaison office at https://vienna.europarl.europa.eu/de.
Wide accompanying program
Specialist lectures and events throughout Austria complete the main focus. The aim of all activities is to sensitize citizens: to sensitize disinformation in a playful and well -founded mechanisms and to sustainably strengthen media literacy.
Start of the focus on disinformation
The MEPs Lukas Mandl (ÖVP) and Helmut Brandstätter (NEOS) open up the new interactive exhibition. Visitors: Exciting hands -on stations and the “Bad News Game” expect inside.
Datum: 12.09.2025, 2:30 p.m.
Art: Exhibitions
Ort: Experience Europe
RotenturMstrasse 19
1010 Wien
Austria
Free film screening “How to Build a Truth Engine” and panel discussion
In a panel discussion, director Fritz Moser, MEP Helmut Brandstätter and Prof. Alina Lengauer (professor of European law) talk about the dangers of disinformation for society and democracy. The award -winning documentary “How to Build a Truth Engine” is then shown exclusively and free of charge. Registrations for free film screening with panel discussion are accepted at epwien@europarl.europa.eu.
Datum: 12.09.2025, 4:00 p.m.
Art: Performances/stage
Ort: Votivkino
Währinger Strasse 12
1090 Wien
Austria