Co-creating Digital Tools to Combat Health Misinformation: Successful NKUA Workshop Held as Part of the CIVIS Open Lab

A successful co-creation workshop was held as part of the “Combating Health Misinformation” project, implemented within the framework of the CIVIS Open Lab. The project aims to develop innovative digital tools that help citizens identify and respond to health misinformation. It brings together researchers from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Sapienza University of Rome, and the University of Bucharest, combining interdisciplinary expertise and participatory design methods to create educational digital applications and serious games. On behalf of NKUA, the project is scientifically coordinated by Professor Flora Malamateniou (Department of Nursing), in collaboration with faculty members and Special Teaching Staff from the Departments of Nursing and Communication and Media Studies, as well as researchers from the partner CIVIS universities.

The workshop took place at The HOME Project, bringing together teenagers and professionals working with young people. Through a series of interactive activities, participants shared their experiences with health misinformation, discussed real-life situations, and actively contributed to the design of scenarios, features, and educational mechanisms that will be incorporated into the project’s forthcoming mobile application and digital game.

The workshop sought to explore:

– the environments in which young people most frequently encounter misinformation;
– the key skills that should be strengthened through digital learning;
– game mechanics capable of promoting sustained engagement; and
– the trust, privacy, accessibility, and usability requirements that the final application should meet.

Working in small groups, participants designed realistic misinformation scenarios, identified the decisions users would be asked to make, and proposed features aimed at strengthening critical thinking, source evaluation, and digital literacy. Their ideas were documented through structured co-design worksheets and later discussed collectively to establish priorities for the first version of the application.

Participants also completed a structured questionnaire that captured their preferences regarding user interaction, game mechanics, privacy concerns, and the features they consider most valuable for an effective learning experience. The collected data will be used exclusively for the purposes of the project and its research activities, in full compliance with applicable data protection requirements.

The project follows a comprehensive methodology that combines scientific research, educational resources, podcast production, mobile application development, and serious game design. Its objective is to transform evidence-based knowledge into engaging and interactive learning experiences. Particular emphasis is placed on striking the right balance between educational value and entertainment, ensuring that the resulting digital tools effectively strengthen users’ ability to recognise and respond to health misinformation.

The workshop reflects the core philosophy of the CIVIS Open Lab, which promotes collaboration between universities and society through co-creation and the development of innovative solutions to real societal challenges. The insights and experiences shared by participants will play a key role in the next stages of developing the project’s mobile application and serious game, contributing to digital tools that foster resilience against health misinformation while promoting both digital and health literacy.