Free Essex Workshops: Spotting Misinformation, Scams and Harmful Content Online

Posted on: January 3, 2026

Essex County Council & Connect Futures is promoting a series of free online workshops designed to help people feel safer, more confident, and better informed when navigating online information.

We’re asking partners to help spread the word through newsletters, networks and community channels – and please do encourage onward sharing.

👨‍👩‍👧 Workshops for Parents

Misinformation, Community and Online Safety

These sessions support parents to better understand:

• What misinformation and disinformation are, and where they’re most commonly encountered

• How to recognise symbols of hate and misleading online narratives

• What is legal and illegal online in relation to hate and harmful content

• Practical ways to talk to children about what they’re seeing online

The workshops are welcoming, interactive and delivered by trained facilitators, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions and share concerns.
📅 Multiple dates available | ⏱ 90 minutes | 💻 Online | Free to attend

Dates AND REGISTRATION LINK BELOW: (CLICK THE DATE & choose one)
14.01.26 | 12:00 -13:30
14.01.26 | 18:00 -19:30
19.01.26 |12:00 -13:30
19.01.26 | 18:00 -19:30
03.02.26 | 12:00 -13:30
03.02.26 | 18:00 -19:30
12.02.26 | 12:00 -13:30
12.02.26 | 18:00 -19:30
24.02.26 | 12:00 -13:30

👵 Workshops for Older Adults

Spotting Traps, Scams and Misinformation Online

These sessions are designed to help older adults:

• Spot common tricks used in misleading posts, viral rumours and emotionally charged content

• Understand how images, headlines and algorithms influence reactions

• Recognise how scams, fraud and misinformation often overlap

• Use simple tools to check whether information is trustworthy before sharing

No technical skills are needed – just curiosity. Sessions are friendly, jargon-free and focused on staying safe online.
📅 Multiple dates available | ⏱ 90 minutes | 💻 Online | Free to attend

Dates and Eventbrite registration links include: (choose one date and time )
12.01.26 Online |11:00-12:30 | 13:00 -14:30
29.01.26 Online|11:00-12:30 | 13:00 -14:30
26.02.26 Online|11:00-12:30 | 13:00-14:30

Train-the-Trainer Opportunities

There will also be train-the-trainer sessions (one for each workshop). If you know practitioners or community leaders who may be interested, please get in touch to receive full details. They are also very welcome to attend a standard session first to see how it’s delivered.

Author: Emily Smith
Posted: 03/01/2026
Categories: Events, News, Training