by Louis Demeulenaere, Mediawijs, Belgium.
In today’s digital world, it’s becoming harder to tell what’s real and what’s fake. With AI-generated images and misleading visuals flooding our social media feeds, distinguishing truth from fiction is more challenging than ever. That’s where the VISAVIS Project comes in.
What is the VISAVIS project?
VISAVIS is a European project to equip people with the tools and skills needed to identify and combat visual and AI-generated disinformation online. Running from October 2024 to March 2026, the project is funded by the European Media and Information Fund (EMIF) and aims to make digital verification more accessible to the general public.
VISAVIS brings together a strong consortium of partners, each contributing their expertise to the fight against visual disinformation: IMEC-DICE, Mediawijs, Filmpedagogerna, CERTH & University of Twente.
Our approach
Rather than just raising awareness about the problem, VISAVIS focuses on practical solutions. The project will develop user-friendly digital tools that help people verify the authenticity of images and videos they come across online. These tools will be tested through real-world citizen science campaigns, where participants actively engage in detecting and analyzing misleading visuals. Two citizen science campaigns will take place – one in Belgium and one in Sweden – allowing participants to contribute directly to the project while testing and improving the verification tools.
VISAVIS is not only about technological solutions, it also puts an emphasis on media and information literacy training. By combining digital verification tools with hands-on training, we aim to empower people to navigate the digital landscape with confidence.
Our goals
The project has three key goals:
- Develop and improve verification tools: Many people lack access to simple, effective tools to check if an image or video has been manipulated. VISAVIS will create easy-to-use resources that help users quickly assess digital content.
- Increase public awareness and engagement: We want to go beyond traditional educational efforts and get people actively involved in the fight against disinformation. Through citizen science campaigns, participants will work together to detect and analyse misleading visuals, helping to improve our tools while learning valuable skills themselves.
- Foster a more critical society: In the long run, VISAVIS envisions a society that questions and analyses online content more critically. Through education and hands-on tools, we empower individuals to navigate the digital world more safely.
Who is VISAVIS for?
For VISAVIS to make an impact, we need to reach the right people. Our main focus is on two key groups:
- General public: People across Europe, particularly those vulnerable to mis/disinformation, will benefit from our digital verification tools and media literacy resources. Our goal is to empower them to identify and counter visual and AI-generated misinformation in their daily lives.
- Citizen science participants: Those who take an active role in our campaigns, helping to identify and analyse real-world examples of visual misinformation. This group consists of:
- Young adults (18-34 years): As frequent internet users, they are highly exposed to visual misinformation but may lack the skills to recognise it.
- Older adults (55-74 years): This group is often less digitally skilled, making them more vulnerable to misleading or manipulated content. VISAVIS will provide them with the tools and knowledge to navigate online spaces more critically.
Why does this matter?
Misinformation has real-world consequences. It can influence elections, fuel conspiracy theories, and even put people’s safety and health at risk. With the rise of AI-generated content, the challenge is only getting bigger. VISAVIS is about giving people the power to push back against visual manipulation, ensuring that digital spaces remain a place for truth rather than deception.
Author
Louis Demeulenaere, Project manager, Mediawijs, Belgium.
