COMALACE’s Gisèle Detaille on Polarization, Misinformation, and Critical Thinking in Europe

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project

Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2026/02/10

Gisèle Detaille is President of COMALACE (Contribution des Obédiences Maçonniques Adogmatiques et Libérales à la Construction Européenne), a European network of liberal and adogmatic Masonic obediences that engages European institutions through Article 17 dialogue on civic and societal issues. She previously worked for 14 years at the Financial Sector Surveillance Commission in Luxembourg, with responsibilities including planning and coordination, contributing to inspection reports, and drafting recommendations. Since becoming COMALACE President in 2024, she has emphasized dignity at work, the societal implications of artificial intelligence, and “cultural Europe,” alongside civic education and critical thinking.

In an Article 17–context conversation, Scott Douglas Jacobsen asks how COMALACE understands its role amid European polarization. Gisèle Detaille describes COMALACE as a network of liberal, non-dogmatic Masonic obediences that contribute to reflection and dialogue on civic issues. She argues that low media literacy makes online misinformation persuasive, especially for youth, and that education—at home, in schools, and through broader community frameworks—remains the most durable defence. She doubts age bans can work reliably, urging stronger platform accountability and smarter moderation incentives. Detail frames Freemasonic practice as a “laboratory of ideas” cultivating critical thinking, curiosity, respect, and freedom.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: From the perspective of COMALACE, how do liberal and adogmatic Masonic obediences understand their role in responding to growing social polarization in Europe, particularly in relation to new technologies, misinformation, and civic education?

Gisèle Detaille: My name is Gisèle Detaille, and I am representing a group called COMALACE, which stands for the Contribution des Obédiences Maçonniques Adogmatiques et Libérales à la Construction Européenne. COMALACE is a European network of liberal and adogmatic Masonic obediences, bringing together Freemasons from different obediences to contribute to reflection and dialogue on European civic and societal issues.

We were invited to give our opinion on the polarization of our society, especially on the impact of new technology, particularly its adverse effects, and the way it may influence opinions within societies.

We think this technology can impact society, especially where critical media literacy is limited, because on online networks—such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or TikTok—people, especially young people, may take information at face value, without questioning it, and without considering that it might be false or misleading information. We believe this is dangerous for individuals and for society as a whole.

In recent years, there have been clear examples across different countries of misinformation and disinformation circulating online that have influenced public debate and, in some cases, electoral processes.

We have a role to play here, especially in educating young people. Parents are the first actors who can help educate their children to think critically, to exercise judgment, and not to treat information found on TikTok, Facebook, X, or other social networks as automatically accurate.

It is essential to take a step back, consider what we see, consult other sources, and not treat online content as the truth by default. We also know that some influencers are paid to promote messages in ways that are comparable to advertising.

It is similar to advertising: it is not because someone says that a product is the best that it is true; sometimes it is because that person is paid to say so.

The first tool to combat societal polarization is education, especially children’s education. Parents play a role, but schools and other groups also play a role, as do all kinds of groups where people—from very young children to adults—participate in social activities.

This can include cultural activities, sports, or other social groups. There is a framework around people in these settings, and this framework should also be supported so that it helps individuals learn to think for themselves, rather than passively absorbing information.

At present, many people spend a great deal of time in front of screens. They absorb information and can become passive. In my experience, fewer people read and write regularly than before, and it is increasingly uncommon to see people writing by hand.

They are doing this less. Personally, I teach courses, and when participants are required to handwrite an exam, it is difficult for them, first because they are not used to writing by hand, and for me, because it can be challenging to read what they have written.

Sometimes it is not even reading; it is more like a hieroglyph that I need to decrypt.

During that meeting—which was very interesting—it was useful to hear what others were thinking. Some politicians and certain countries suggested that young people should be forbidden from accessing social networks until a certain age.

We all know that this would not work because people would find ways around the rule by declaring another age. We know this because it is already possible to open accounts with false information. As long as that is possible, a 14-year-old will say that they are 18.

We know that age-based access restrictions have been discussed or introduced in some countries, including recent policy developments in Australia. Early feedback already suggests that users can find ways to circumvent these rules, which limits their effectiveness.

For these reasons, age bans alone will not work.

Education is one crucial element, but the most critical issue is the regulation of platforms themselves. It is at the platform level that rules need to be applied, not primarily at the individual-user level.

We know that platforms can moderate certain types of content. Some forms of content, including sexual content, can be removed. If platforms can do this, they are also technically capable of addressing political manipulation, aggressive content, and other harmful material.

However, social networks are free for users, which means platforms are remunerated through advertising and promoted content. They generate significant revenue this way. The more users they have, the more money they make. For this reason, they do not want to reduce user numbers or engagement.

That is why platforms often resist regulation. Nevertheless, it is more appropriate to regulate platforms and their owners than to place responsibility primarily on users, especially young users.

These were the main trends and messages we wanted to convey during that meeting. It was a valuable opportunity to present these ideas and to discuss them with Commissioner Brunner and with Mr. DePayne. We were very grateful for that opportunity.

Jacobsen: What brought the Masonic obediences to take an interest in Article 17 of the EU treaties, particularly in relation to media use by young people? In the context of Article 17 dialogue, what motivated the Masonic obediences to engage with questions about influence campaigns on social media, especially those targeting voters and future voters, including very young people?

Detaille: It is tough to say. I don’t know in detail how these influence campaigns operate. It is difficult to know precisely how they work.

Jacobsen: From COMALACE’s perspective, and in relation to the educational efforts you mentioned, what would be the most reasonable first steps, and which steps are likely to be very difficult or potentially impossible, given realistic constraints?

Details: There are differences, and it is tough to implement an effective education programme regarding the use of social media.

One realistic step would be to introduce courses on how to use social networks properly and critically. When I was young, we had lessons on how to use a dictionary. We learned how to use it. In the same way, one practical approach today would be to teach how to use social networks.

At school, people who understand these tools could show students how to use them, rather than simply saying they cannot use them during classes.

The most challenging part is finding people who can teach this to children and do so across different age groups. Children now receive mobile phones at very early ages. I have seen children with mobile phones at the age of 5. That is very early, and they do not truly need them.

It is easy and convenient for parents because children are occupied, allowing them to do other things. In any case, that is not the main point.

The most challenging issue is that teachers themselves are often not sufficiently trained to pass on these messages. The technology evolves rapidly, making it difficult for educators to keep up.

Teachers would first need education and training themselves before they can pass this knowledge on to students. Another option would be to bring in external experts or consultants to teach short sessions, perhaps one or two hours at a time. However, this would involve additional costs.

Education systems in many countries already face financial and budgetary constraints, so this is another challenge.

Another critical issue is that education must be tailored to the audience’s age. You do not speak to a six-year-old in the same way as to a teenager of seventeen or eighteen.

It could also be helpful to educate adults. Many adults are vulnerable to online manipulation, including scams in which people believe they are communicating with a well-known person, who is actually generated or imitated using artificial intelligence, and they send money as a result.

Brad Pitt. People then find these things and do not realize that they are fake. It is false information. It can be a fake video. People are not educated to recognize this, and the technology developed very quickly.

It is the same with money: fake investments, scams, and similar schemes. This makes the issue very difficult.

Education can take place in schools, but it can also take place through television or public media, where programs can convey messages or demonstrate how misinformation works. We are beginning to see more programs showing how false information circulates through networks and social media.

That is why misinformation and the misuse of social media affect the entire population, at every age. This is what makes the problem difficult. Education, therefore, needs to take place at all stages of life.

This is another difficulty, because it is easy to say that something must be done. It is easy to give instructions. What is harder is determining what is feasible, what is not, what impact measures will have, and how to implement them realistically.

That is why this is everyone’s responsibility. People are responsible for their children, their parents, and themselves, and they are responsible for passing on this message: think about it. Ask questions before accepting information. Do not take anything for granted. Ask whether it is true and whether it is reliable information.

Traditionally, when information appeared in newspapers, journalists were expected to check sources and verify facts before publication. A professional journalist is usually trained to do this.

When we consume information ourselves, it is much more difficult because we do not have the same tools. That is why everyone must develop judgment and a critical spirit.

At any stage of life, we can educate people to exercise critical thinking and judgment. This is something we can all do if we are encouraged to.

As Freemasons, we practice this because it is central to our philosophy. It is the way we work. We work on all topics in this way. It is the way we think and the way we work within the lodges where we meet.

Our philosophy is based on the ability to discuss everything with respect for shared values. The values we respect include respect itself and freedom.

We consider our lodge as a kind of laboratory for ideas, a space for reflection. We take ideas, think about them, develop them, and continually examine them with a critical spirit.

This philosophy must be developed more broadly across the population because, in my view, this is one of the best ways to reduce the influence of misinformation. That also relates to your previous question. This is one of the best ways to reduce the manipulation of opinions and, in some cases, electoral choices.

There are examples of social media being used to influence public opinion, particularly in certain countries at the moment. This influence often targets vulnerable people. It is easier to influence people when their economic and social conditions are challenging.

It is easy to push where people feel pain. When someone does not have work, for example, it becomes easy to blame a particular group of the population.

On social media, a space has been created where anyone can speak about anything, without verification, with no limits, and often without respect for others. There is minimal framework.

When I say content can be monitored, I mean that aggression is often inadequately addressed. People say almost anything about anyone without checking facts or limits. They criticize individuals, countries, attitudes, and actions without restraint.

This is deeply troubling.

Before social media, this kind of behaviour was mostly limited to informal spaces, such as conversations in cafés or bars. In French, this was sometimes called the Café du Commerce—a place where people would gather after work, have a drink, and talk about politics, the weather, or anything else.

As people drank more, the tone grew louder, and the quality of the discussion declined. Social media sometimes reproduces something similar, but on a much larger scale.

That is also dangerous.

Jacobsen: It becomes the lowest common denominator of conversation—gossip rather than deliberation. The so-called town square turns into a gossip square. How does COMALACE work with EU institutions to make its educational efforts effective?

Detaille: Again, this is very difficult, because the European Union has limited ability to influence education directly in Member States. Each EU country has its own education system and programs.

What could be possible if the appropriate tools exist is an ad hoc program financed by the EU. Such a program could involve experts visiting schools at different ages—perhaps not from nursery level, but from primary school onward, through secondary school and into universities.

At the university level, experts could give lectures, while for younger children—such as those aged six to twelve—teaching would need to be adapted to their age and level of understanding.

The EU could finance this kind of program and offer a shared educational framework across countries while still accounting for national differences. Europe must take into account the specific characteristics of each Member State. For example, there are differences between countries such as France and Poland, and these cultural and social contexts matter.

This may be the most realistic approach, as the EU lacks the power and tools to shape national education curricula directly.

Jacobsen: What Masonic values do you think matter most here, particularly about education and the prevention of falling for misinformation and disinformation?

Details: Judgment, critical thinking, and intellectual curiosity are central. Another essential value is respect—respect for others’ freedom. In education, the vital spirit is fundamental.

Critical thinking means not taking what is said for granted. It means stepping back and asking: Is this logical? What is being claimed here? It means reading carefully, consulting different sources, and thinking things through.

It also means talking with others, rather than just on the phone. Exchanging ideas matters. When I see young people together, they are often physically in groups, but each person is in front of a screen. They are not really talking to each other, except sometimes to show something on a screen and say, “Have you seen this?”—and then it stops.

What is missing is real exchange. The value is exchange itself: exchanging ideas, creating a laboratory of ideas. That is essential to avoid misinformation and the escalation of aggression.

Respect for others is crucial. At any age, people should try to keep learning. A day that passes without learning something is a lost day. That is the message we try to pass on.

Jacobsen: What about recommendations for those looking to integrate into EU processes to combat this?

Details: I do not know the EU processes in detail or exactly how the bureaucratic procedures work.

However, if cooperation were possible, the most effective approach would be to set up a working group to develop a concrete project proposal. That is the best way to proceed, as we do in other sectors, including business.

You set up a project with a steering structure and a working group that develops proposals. You begin by making an inventory or a gap analysis: identifying needs, defining objectives, and determining what can realistically be done. From there, you assess which tools could be used and propose.

For all of these tools, an initial analysis is needed to evaluate the realism of the setup and implementation. The working group would then submit proposals to the European Commission. Once the Commission agrees on a proposal, it must follow the appropriate institutional process, which may involve further approval at the EU level and acceptance by Member States.

The most effective approach is to have a working group representative of EU Member States to take national specificities into account. Education systems differ significantly across countries.

I am Belgian, and even within Belgium—a small country—the education system differs between the north and the south. If it is already different within one country, it is clearly different across Europe.

For this reason, it is essential to consider the realities and specificities of each country. If a project is designed in an office by people who have never worked directly with children or within national education systems, it will not work.

That is why the project group must include representatives from different countries who can develop proposals for the Commission. This group would also need to assess costs, available budgets, financing feasibility, and the time required for implementation.

Timing is critical. If a project starts now but is only implemented three years later, it risks being obsolete by the time it is launched. Developments move too quickly for that.

To work quickly, resources are needed. That includes funding, because experts involved in such a project must be compensated for their time. They have both professional and personal responsibilities and need to be able to sustain themselves while contributing.

All of these factors must be considered. To ensure adoption by all countries, the only viable approach is to involve people from each country from the very beginning. This ensures that all countries feel represented and invested in the project.

The best way to have an idea adopted is to bring people on board from the start. What approach would I propose? It would be this one.

Jacobsen: Thank you very much for the opportunity and your time, Gisèle.

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