Romania's education ministry announces steps to combat pseudoscience, manipulation

The Education Ministry has established a partnership with the National Audiovisual Council (CNA) to draft a guide on combating illegal content online, part of a series of measures aimed at tackling pseudoscience and manipulation, the institution announced.

The guide is meant to be shared with and discussed in schools and universities in the country. "We encourage decision-makers in the education-research sector to popularize this guide among pupils/students, their relatives, and education-research staff," the ministry said.

At the same time, educational activities will be carried out on TikTok, following a partnership that is to be established with the platform. The activities are meant to promote science and combat pseudoscience, including by "creating safe, controllable and stimulating educational spaces on TikTok for children (alone and/or with parents and teachers) and adults."

Based on preliminary discussions held in February of this year with Roxana Mînzatu, the Commissioner for Social Rights and Skills, education minister Daniel David expressed interest in initiating two actions at the European level through which education and science would be more present in social media, and the existing occupations/professions would be correctly presented to European citizens.

"I see with great sadness too many intelligent young and senior Romanians in the public space, overwhelmed by the manipulation of pseudoscience and pseudo-religion, expressed in aggression and, often, in behaviors unworthy of a human being […] I would be happy if education gave them the chance to use their potential in prosocial roles," the minister said.

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