Anti-disinformation youth resource co-created by UCD professor wins Media Literacy Ireland Award
9 October 2025
Aoife MacEvilly, Commissioner for Broadcasting and Video-on-Demand, Coimisiún na Meán and Professor Aphra Kerr, UCD School of Information and Communication Studies Credit: Maxwell Photography
AlgoWatch, a project co-led by UCD (opens in a new window)Professor Aphra Kerr, has won Best Media Initiative for Young People at the Media Literacy Ireland (MLI) Awards.
The two-year engaged research project focused on creating AI and algorithmic literacy resources for young people aged 13-17.
Researchers created a competency framework, an online quiz, an interactive game, posters, workshops and exhibition materials on misinformation and disinformation in climate change, online democracy, health and online relationships.
All the resources can be explored, played and downloaded via the (opens in a new window)AlgoWatch website in English, French, Portuguese and Croatian.
The project was co-led by Professor Kerr from the UCD School of Information and Communication Studies in collaboration with Savoir Devenir (Paris), Association for Communication and Media Culture-DKMK (Zagreb), and Iscte University Institute of Lisbon.
“It is fantastic to get this recognition from Media Literacy Ireland and the wider media and information literacy community,” said Professor Kerr, who is also Co-PI at the ADAPT Research Ireland Centre.
“Young people and educators need resources developed by trusted organisations to navigate the impacts of AI and algorithms and build skills to take action against misinformation and disinformation. It is critical that media literacy programmes embed appropriate knowledge, skills and values and are co-created with the communities that they wish to serve.”
The winner of the Best Media Literacy Initiative for Young People is Algowatch! This initiative stood out for its novelty, reach, and depth. Congratulations (opens in a new window)@adaptcentre, (opens in a new window)@ucddublin, (opens in a new window)@divinameigs, (opens in a new window)@MaynoothUni 🎉 (opens in a new window)#MLIAwards2025 (opens in a new window)#MediaLiteracy (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/VAVdEQlNdc
— MediaLiteracyIreland (@MedialitIreland) (opens in a new window)October 6, 2025
Best Media Initiative for Young People was the most competitive category at the MLI Awards, with 15 entries and a shortlist of five.
The judges for the category were Philip Arneill from CyberSafeKid, Jayne Foley from Fresh Film and Pete Moles from Emerging Limerick Filmmakers.
“Given the topicality of algorithms, AI and disinformation, [AlgoWatch] is a novel and timely initiative that tackles the urgent issue of disinformation through AI workshops and international collaboration, making it both relevant and impactful,” they noted.
The project’s gender balance and thematic approach were also mentioned as particular strengths.
AlgoWatch was co-funded by the European Union under the Creative Europe programme and was formally completed in September 2025.
Supported by Coimisiún na Meán, the MLI Awards recognise work that helps people to develop the media literacy skills that will empower them to make the best use of media, and encourage innovation, collaboration and evaluation in media literacy projects.
By: Rebecca Hastings, Digital Journalist, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
