Cooperation with StopFake.org: Students Develop Campaigns to Counter Russian Disinformation and Propaganda

During the winter semester, students at TU Ilmenau are developing campaigns for the platform StopFake.org. StopFake is an independent Ukrainian fact-checking initiative run by the non-governmental organization Media Reforms Centre. Founded in 2014, it identifies and debunks disinformation and investigates Russian propaganda targeting Ukraine and international audiences. Its work also aims to strengthen media literacy and public resilience to disinformation. As part of a seminar on international public relations, led by Dr. Andreas Schwarz, students enrolled in the Master’s program in Media and Communication Science are developing campaign concepts in competing student agencies. This semester, the agencies are working on two different assignments: Some groups are developing campaign concepts aimed at attracting new institutional or individual donors in Germany to support StopFake. Other groups are designing campaigns to increase awareness and use of StopFake among journalists, media organizations, journalism educators and students in Mexico, as well as to foster potential partnerships with local media and universities.

The briefing for the student agencies, delivered by StopFake co-founder Olga Yurkova, took place at the end of October. At the final pitch in February 2027, the students will present their creative ideas for the best campaign concepts to a jury comprising representatives of TU Ilmenau and StopFake.org.

StopFake was founded by Ukrainian journalists and academics and operates independently of governments. It is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) Code of Principles and also follows the European Code of Standards for Independent Fact-Checking Organisations (EFCSN).