Status
Challenge Status: Challenge is Active. This challenge is part of the Junior Academy and not open for general application.
Application Status: Open to Junior Academy Members
Key Dates
Challenge Begins: 09/21/2026
Challenge Closes: 11/22/2026
Solutions Due By: 11/22/2026
Winners Announced: 12/16/2026
Eligibility
- This challenge is only open to Junior Academy students from the USA and countries in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. The eligible countries are Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United States, and Yemen.
- Mentors can be from any country.
- Maximum of six (6) students per team, plus one (1) mentor.
Overview
Some have argued that we are now living in a “Misinformation Age” where demonstrably false beliefs persist and spread, faster and more effectively than actual truths. Generative A.I. models—some of which are employed by search engines—can inadvertently create misinformation. These A.I.s filter the information from across the web without clear distinction between sources that are reputable and those that are not. Additionally, when this information is synthesized LLMs can sometimes fabricate false information in the form of “hallucinations.” Social media platforms with their bias-driven algorithms have given bullhorns to those who lack expertise and some who even use artificial intelligence (A.I.) to produce and spread AI graphics and videos that amplify disinformation about health products, activities, and choices. The spread of misinformation and disinformation can present a profound challenge for society and can have long term health consequences. In fact, the World Economic Forum has named misinformation and disinformation among the world’s top short-term global risks two years in a row, ranking it above extreme weather! Fortunately, this is not a hopeless fight. Fact-checkers, media literacy educators, platform designers, and even AI developers are all racing to build better tools for flagging, slowing, and correcting false claims before they spread. But technology and policy alone won’t solve this—it will take people willing to think creatively about how misinformation spreads and how to interrupt it. How might you design a public awareness campaign or technical solution that helps people recognize or even stop health misinformation or disinformation so that people can make choices grounded in reliable information?
Challenge
Design an innovative public awareness campaign or technical solution to shed light upon and combat health misinformation and disinformation on the internet that is intensified or enabled by Artificial Intelligence (A.I.).
Consider the following when designing your solution:
- You may choose to focus your approach on one misinformation issue, a suite of related issues, or misinformation, in general.
- You may choose to focus your approach on the spread of misinformation on one specific social media platform, search engine, or the internet, in general.
- Your solution should be based on reliable data and scientific research.
- Make sure your solution sheds light on the problem of misinformation online and empowers your audience to do something about it.
- Consider the following questions:
- Who is your audience?
- How will you reach your audience?
- Is social media the best place to center your campaign if social media is part of the problem? Should your public awareness campaign include social media or not?
- Why should your audience trust you? How can you position yourself as a reliable, trustworthy source?
- What behavioral change(s) will your campaign attempt to promote?
- AI is part of the problem. Could it also be part of your solution?
See the challenge course syllabus.
Success Evaluation Criteria
Solutions will be judged based on the following criteria:
- Innovation and Design Thinking: Is the design and approach unique and/or innovative? Does the design show a high degree of originality and imagination?
- Scientific Quality: Are the appropriate references and analytical methods used and are the insights derived correctly?
- Presentation Quality: Is this concept concisely and clearly explained? Are the findings/recommendations communicated clearly and persuasively?
- Commercial Viability/Potential: Does the solution have the potential to make a difference?
- Sustainability: What is the social impact on local communities? How does the solution incorporate positive environmental or social objectives? Is the solution in line with a sustainable or justice focused future?
- Teamwork and collaboration: Was the experience a collaborative endeavor? Was the knowledge gained from the experience reflected upon and tied back to a civic engagement mindset? (From Personal Reflections)
Sponsors
The Junior Academy is implemented by The New York Academy of Sciences and is supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute.