The Internet carries a constant risk: false information slipping into homes through screens. The solution isn’t to retreat from online life but to approach what we read with care and verification. This lesson landed with young participants who attended one of the Mobile Week workshops in the Canary Islands, a program that wrapped up its session on Friday. They learned that a cautious mindset is the first line of defense against misinformation.
A message arriving on WhatsApp, a meme circulating on Twitter, or a video on TikTok can all be deceptive. The daily flow of content demands a deliberate habit of checking facts before accepting what is seen and shared. The digital verification workshop for young people, held at the Elderly Science and Technology Museum as part of Mobile Week, aimed to foster that exact discipline. The event closed a week dedicated to digitalization, coinciding with discussions from the OECD Digital Economy Ministerial Conference, which has been a focal point in the Canary Islands since its opening.
The Museum of the Elderly became a space where families and youngsters could confront the dangers that come with rapid digitalization. One of the takeaways echoed by 12-year-old Ismarai Izquierdo was the simple, crucial rule: be careful, do not trust at first glance, and always verify. Izquierdo participated alongside classmates from the Schamann Institute, under the guidance of Professor and disinformation expert journalist Roger Cuartielles. The session was designed to be practical and interactive, not just theoretical—it was about building habits that stand up to the noise online.
Over the course of an hour, the students mapped out different types of misinformation. They explored a tool designed to help them spot scams and verify content more efficiently. Inés Talavera, who showed notable curiosity, laughed and said she would use every verification method learned during the workshop to confirm the accuracy of what she receives. She also mentioned that she would share these new practices with her entire family, hoping to shield loved ones from fraud and manipulation. Izquierdo reflected that his grandmother had been targeted by phishing in the past, a painful reminder of how real these threats can be. He recounted messages claiming he had a daughter in need of money and warned that some connections should not be trusted, emphasizing the need for skepticism and verification in everyday online exchanges.
These experiences, shared by the participants, led Izquierdo to a deeper level of discernment. He admitted that the workshop had given him a practical toolkit to distinguish truth from falsehoods and to guard against the pervasive stream of misinformation online. The lesson was clear: informed, proactive verification changes how one interacts with digital content, reducing susceptibility to deceit.
The Mobile Week program continues through the week, offering a series of hands-on workshops and roundtable discussions with experts who address current digital issues. Topics include digital rights, the realities of digital nomadism, and ongoing progress in sustainability and the green and digital transition. There is also focus on the implications of the 3.0 world, the metaverse, and how to promote citizen empowerment and inclusive digital engagement in the evolving digital landscape. The Canary Islands edition presents a blend of practical learning and forward-looking dialogue, inviting attendees to reflect on how technology shapes society and everyday life.