New Media Education to Combat Discrimination and Hatred Online. the Results of a Project in Five European Countries

In 1964, Umberto Eco wrote one of his most famous books, Apocalyptic and integrated, on the different perceptions of mass culture products in elite culture. The contrast between optimistic and critical positions is therefore something that does not depend on the “novelty” of the digital medium, but concerns the perception of the “new” tout-court . This point of view is undoubtedly integrated, optimistic, but does not underestimate an awareness: the process that leads to rationalize the fears dictated by the “unknown” is necessary to smooth the risks implicit in the introduction of new media . The work of accommodation is above all an educational work . One example is the distorted use of new media, starting with the younger generations: digital bullying, racial and social discrimination, ste- reotyping, fake news . The project “Using the New media in Education to overcome Migrant discrim- ination Online - NEMO”, funded by the European Union, was born with the aim of describing the European landscape with respect to this vast and articulated problem, to hypothesize an educational action through the creation of a toolkit and laboratories for young teenagers (11-14 years old) . This paper describes the results obtained, presenting the comparative analysis of five European countries (Italy, France, Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria), the tool- kit designed and the laboratories experience .