ICCO 2026 Mis/Disinformation
Training & Certification Program
Equipping communications professionals with the skills to identify, counter, and prevent mis/disinformation through expert-led training and certification.
Course Dates & Programme Fee
Course Dates
The live classes will begin on 15 October 2026 and run until 15 December 2026.
Programme Fee
The cost is €385 per person.
Packages are also available upon request.
Background
According to 2024, 2025 and 2026 Global Risk Report by the World Economic Forum, misinformation and disinformation lead the short-term risks for the planet and may fuel instability and undermine trust in governance, complicating the urgent need for cooperation to address shared crises.
Since 2021 the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) has been working with intensity on programs aimed at preventing and fighting mis/disinformation. Deliverables include pro-bono support to European Medicines Agency during Covid-19 infodemic, first industry White Paper on Communication Challenges for PR & Comms professionals (2022), Media Information and Education Pledge (2023) in partnership with Council of Europe, The Trust Project, EACD, GWPR, AMEC and EUPRERA, Future PR Student Competition in collaboration with EUPRERA (2024 and 2025), “Tackling Mis/Disinformation a Global Digital Handbook for Communicators” (2025).
Our Mission
ICCO has been working with representing bodies spanning PR & communications, broadcast media, journalism, institutions, and online media to acknowledge a shared responsibility in tackling mis/disinformation, commit to shared solutions and prevention methods, as well as share the task of educating our own companies and employees, in addition to the wider public.
Program is designed for agency and in-house Communications and PR advisors, Corporate and Public Affairs Consultants, Brand Managers, Social Media professionals, Journalists. Maximum of 100 trainees will be admitted for the online live lessons of the program.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Sponsorship keeps the program financially sustainable and costs accessible for trainees — while giving partners credible, targeted visibility across the communications industry. Want to discover more? Please contact Joulyn.kenny@iccoglobal.com
ICCO 2026 Mis/Disinformation Training Program
Six live sessions, each combining expert presentation, Q&A, and a guided practical exercise.
Disinformation 101
1h 30'Understand definitions, main characteristics, business and impact of disinformation and general approach on how to counter it with fact-checking and other good practices.
Distinguishing disinformation, misinformation, and malinformation. Historical background and global relevance. Recent case studies and effects on democracy, institutions, companies/brands. Psychological causes: motivation, cognitive and confirmation biases, emotional triggers. Case studies of successful counter-campaigns, and the concept of "pre-bunking" as used by fact-checkers.
The Basics of Fact-Checking and Source Verification
1h 30'Discover what fact-checking is and how it works. Acquire practical verification tools, especially for visual contents.
What fact-checking is, how it works, why it works. International standards and networks, brief history and current key activities. Impact of AI on the discipline. Main fact-checking tools and skills (geolocation, reverse image search, InVID, TinEye) and checklists for information verification.
Analyzing the Spread of (Dis)information
1h 30'Understand dynamics and speed of news dissemination. Translate spread dynamics into practical implications for response strategy (timing, channels, spokesperson choice).
Viral mechanisms, role of AI and bots, closed groups, echo chambers, case studies (COVID, elections, international crises). Audience prioritisation — who actually matters versus who is simply loud. Linking disinformation dynamics to scenario planning and preparedness.
Media Literacy and Crisis Preparation
1h 30'Introduction to vulnerabilities of the current information ecosystem, with a deep-dive on issue preparation and organization design. Weaknesses of Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned media and related mitigation actions.
Why false information works, the economics of disinformation, P.E.S.O. vulnerabilities, what AI changes. Practical mis/disinformation preparedness: assessment, prevention and cure. Playbooks, escalation protocols, internal roles, and decision rights. Pre-bunking and trust-building as ongoing reputation management, not campaign tactics.
Reporting. Correcting, Responding
1h 30'Learn reporting and escalation procedures. Address Board, legal, and executive alignment to allow strategic response choices, not just platform actions (engage, ignore, counter, pre-empt).
Overview of major platform strategies for tackling online disinformation, from third-party partnerships to the community note model. How to report on platforms (Meta, TikTok, others). Publishing effective corrections and debunking, online crisis management. Expanding beyond "debunking" to include narrative control, stakeholder prioritization and reassurance.
Generative AI, Search and New Challenges
1h 30'Understand risks (and opportunities) of AI in generating and verifying information. Connect AI/search risks directly to reputation exposure and brand vulnerability, with guidance on organisational mitigation, not just detection.
AI as both a threat vector and a defensive tool for communications teams. How generative search works (Google SGE, Gemini, Perplexity, etc.), bias risk and source selection, AI verification tools (e.g. deepfake detection). SEO vs GEO and SEO + GEO. Organizational mitigation actions.
Why Choose Us
Trusted Partners
ICCO ‘s 2026 Training and Certification Program was created thanks to the work done with the Partners Organisations of the “Media Education and Information Pledge” and TFCF SRL which is the parent company for two major Italian fact-checking operations, Pagella Politica (https://pagellapolitica.it/) and Facta (https://facta.news/). Both projects are certified signatories of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN)’s Code of Principles, and among the founding consortia of key EU-level projects aimed at tackling disinformation, including EDMO (European Digital Media Observatory), IDMO (Italian Digital Media Observatory) and EFCSN (European Fact-Checking Standards Network).They are active in media literacy actions in schools, universities and other educational centers in Italy.
The Teachers
Lessons in the ICCO Mis/Disinformation Training and Certification Program will be held by some of the foremost experts at the European and global level on disinformation and media literacy (MIL). Experts will be drawn from both academia, journalism and PR Industry reflecting a multidisciplinary field that is rooted in media practice (fact-checking, debunking, content verification), education (media and information literacy), industry (PR & Comms) and academic research (communication theory, sociology, economics, and many more).
ICCO and TFCF can provide a seasoned team with more than a decade of experience in every aspect of the disinformation phenomenon, as well as a comprehensive network of international experts, thanks to its work with international institutions (European Commission, Council of Europe) and its leading role in the most important international fact-checking network (EFCSN, IFCN). In the following preliminary format, some options for the teachers are included but can vary subject to confirmation.
The Format
Each of the 6 live online lessons will consist of a presentation by a leading expert in the field, followed by a short Q&A session and a practical session guided by a tutor. The object is to provide the necessary background information, but also practical skills and tools that can inform everyday activities of the involved professionals.
Final Tests and Certification
Upon completion of the 6 sections, a multiple-choice test will be made available to students. Students may rewatch the recorded section (also in case they missed any) and review the corresponding slides as many times as they wish before taking the test.
The test is considered passed if at least 80% of the answers are correct. In the event of failure, students may retake the test up to two additional times. After three unsuccessful attempts, the student will be required to view the recorded section again before attempting the test once more.
Upon successfully passing the test, students will be granted access to the subsequent section, which will follow the same procedure. Once all tests for all sections have been successfully completed, students will receive a Certificate of Completion for the Training Course.
What Makes This Program Unique
Credible Delivery
ICCO community: Global PR Organisation with access to 9,000+ comms leaders. Academic excellence from top professors. Fact-checker partnerships offering real expertise, not just agency and corporate narratives.
Practical, Not Theoretical
Real case studies from elections, pandemics, and corporate crises. Hands-on workshops using actual verification tools, plus simulation exercises with live crisis scenarios.
Multi-Audience Appeal
Designed for in-house corporate communicators, PR advisors, AND journalists. This tri-audience reach is rare and valuable for sponsors seeking multiple touchpoints.
Future-Focused
Dedicated module on generative AI, search algorithms, and emerging disinformation vectors.
Ongoing Learning Community
Participants join ICCO alumni network with ongoing resource access, community forums, and refresher opportunities.
