Trust your news feed? Journalism in the age of misinformation at The Great Debate (UCL200 🎂 Summer Festival)

Trust your news feed?

Journalism in the age of misinformation, AI, and populism 

At a time when conversations can feel increasingly polarised, the ability to engage thoughtfully with those who see the world differently has never been more important. 

As part of our UCL200 Summer Festival, we've teamed up with Disagreeing Well and our Impartial Chairs programme to bring you an evening of thoughtful conversation and lively debate. Bringing together engaging speakers and industry experts, this event will explore a topic that speaks directly to the issues students care about most.

Our 2026 topic for our headline discussion is misinformation and the risk it poses to liberal democracies. More and more young people today learn about current affairs through social media; algorithmically shaped news feeds crammed full of AI content designed to maintain engagement with platforms. Trust in traditional media and journalism is declining across the Western world, coinciding with rising populist movements and growing division. Our panel will discuss the impact misinformation is having on the world today, the role traditional media and journalism have to play in a rapidly changing society, and whether media literacy will be a survival skill of the future.
 

The Panel

	Ros Atkins  BBC News, Radio 4, BBC Verify, author of The Art of Explanation. Ros Atkins is a BBC News presenter and Analysis Editor, known for his video explainer format, which has become a global phenomenon with vast audiences on social media and on the BBC’s digital, TV and radio channels.
	Meera Selva  Journalist, researcher, and CEO of non-profit Internews. Meera Selva is CEO of Internews Europe, a not-for-profit organisation which supports independent media and information ecosystems in over 40 countries. She is an experienced journalist who has reported from the field across Europe, Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.
	Oli Dugmore  Founder of Politics Joe, Digital Editor for New Statesmen, political commentator. Oli Dugmore is a journalist and broadcaster who has been the executive digital editor of the New Statesman since 2025. He has appeared frequently on UK television as a political commentator, and is a radio presenter on LBC with a weekly slot. Prior to October 2025, he was the head of PoliticsJOE.
	Sophia Smith Galer  Digital journalist, content creator, and author. Sophia Smith Galer is a digital journalist, author, and TikTok influencer. In 2022, she was named as one of Forbes 30 Under 30 for Marketing and Media in Europe.

Chaired by:
Ozan Koyas 
UCL student and Impartial Chair participant and ambassador    

History 

In the early years of UCL, an annual ‘Foundation Debate’ was held to mark the foundation of the university. We're reviving this annual tradition during the Bicentenary year. Foundation Debates were focused on a topical subject of the day. In 1933, students debated the motion ‘There is no place for the student in politics’. In later years, debates were held on whether students should be subject to military conscription, and on apartheid South Africa.

After our headline discussion, our Debate Society will showcase their skills...

Watch our pro-debaters and join in fly in our one v one speed debates. Each round pits two speakers against each other in a rapid-fire exchange, with just a few minutes to argue their point and respond to their opponent.

It’s fast, focused, and full of energy. You'll see sharp thinking, quick comebacks, and compelling arguments unfold in real time.

Timings

Please arrive for 19:00 for our drinks reception. The main event will begin at 20:00, and we'll wrap up around 22:00. 

Dress Code

We're celebrating UCL200 in style, and we'd love for you to dress to mark the occasion. Please wear something smart casual.

Arrival

Please arrive to the event via Gower Street, through the black gates at the main entrance of the Quad. Entry will not be granted via any other entrance, including through the Cloisters or surrounding buildings. A UCL200 steward will be there to greet you, so please have your ticket ready. Strictly no entry without a ticket. 

Tickets

To ensure as many of us as possible can come together to celebrate UCL during this milestone year, we have limited tickets to members of the UCL community only, including students, staff and alumni. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate members of the public or students from other Universities at this event. 

UCL200 Summer Festival by Students' Union UCL

This event is part of our UCL200 Summer Festival, and we've got a whole programme of activity planned to celebrate the bicentenary in style. The Main Quad will be transformed for a week of music, film, debate and a big student-only celebration - the Bicentenary Ball. During the days, come and get involved in a range of activities, workshops, and events, or just join us in the sunshine to take in the atmosphere in the Quad.