Visual Disinformation and Visual Literacy

At a time when images and videos dominate social media feeds, visuals have become one of the most powerful tools for spreading disinformation. The report Image Literacy and Preparedness shows how this shift is reshaping both the information environment and the conditions for democracy. With generative AI, it is becoming increasingly easy to create lifelike yet entirely fabricated images and videos, raising the risk of misrepresentation and undermining trust in the media and public institutions.

The report combines research on undue information influence with insights from art education, visual arts and film. It demonstrates that visual literacy, meaning the ability to interpret, analyse and create visual material, is a key competence for strengthening society’s resilience. Today, the focus often lies on technical solutions and regulation, but the report emphasises that people also need better tools to understand how images affect us, how they are manipulated and how they can be used to mislead.

Children and young people, who largely consume news through video‑based platforms, are particularly vulnerable. The report therefore highlights the need to strengthen visual arts education in schools, integrate visual literacy across more subjects, and draw on the extensive expertise that exists within the fields of visual arts and film. It also presents a survey of existing structures and recommends concrete initiatives for authorities, schools and the cultural sector.

The conclusion is clear: countering today’s visual disinformation requires not only technological solutions, but a broad investment in visual literacy as a key democratic competence.