The “Sai da Bolha” (“Step Out of the Bubble”) project, promoted by the Municipality of Póvoa de Varzim in partnership with MeLCiLab researcher Margarida Maneta - from one of the research laboratories integrated within CICANT, has officially launched its second edition.
The initiative reinforces the collaboration between academia and local institutions in promoting media and information literacy among young people. This year, four secondary school classes from public schools across the municipality have been challenged to create materials addressing algorithms, information bubbles, and disinformation, while also encouraging critical reflection on the normalisation of hate speech and discrimination.
Through creative formats such as videos, quizzes, comics, short stories, and illustrations, students are invited to explore how digital platforms shape the information they consume and how algorithmic systems influence online experiences.
The first edition of the project, developed during the previous academic year, resulted in the publication of a booklet that remains available online.
“From videos to quizzes, comics, short stories, and drawings, the project creatively portrays what lies behind our feeds. If the algorithm can choose what we see, our invitation is to choose to go further: Step Out of the Bubble!” reads the initiative’s concept statement.
By fostering critical thinking and digital citizenship, the project continues to contribute to the development of more informed and conscious media practices among younger generations.
Image: Photo rights kindly granted by the Municipality of Póvoa de Varzim.
