Conference on manipulation and threats in the digital world

‘Cult or community? Where does belonging end and manipulation begin?’ – this was the slogan of a nationwide hybrid conference held on 5 February 2026, co-organised by the LPP Foundation, the ITAKA Foundation, HBO Max and the Reserved brand.

The conference was part of a social campaign accompanying the premiere of the HBO Original series ‘Heaven. A Year in Hell,’ inspired by the book ‘Heaven. Five Years in a Cult.’ Its aim was to raise awareness about the mechanisms of manipulation and to show how to support young people in building mental resilience and critical thinking.

An important element of the event was the promotion of the Youth Helpline initiative (22 484 88 04), operated by the ITAKA Foundation and financed by the LPP Foundation.

The helpline is available 7 days a week for young people up to the age of 25. It offers psychological assistance, specialist consultations and support in the form of online sessions.

The event created a space for expert discussion on contemporary forms of manipulation, social influence and the threats faced by young people in the digital world.

The contemporary face of manipulation

Experts pointed out that contemporary destructive groups rarely resemble the closed communities known from the 1990s. Increasingly, they operate in the online space, using social media, algorithms and technologies that create the illusion of closeness and belonging.

Why is this conversation particularly important today?

The experts agreed that the dangers of manipulation have not disappeared, but have changed form. Today, they are less visible, more dispersed and strongly present in the digital space. Young people, especially in times of crisis and when searching for belonging, can be particularly vulnerable to them.

That is why education, prevention and access to professional support are crucial.

The conference was another example of the LPP Foundation’s activities to promote mental health prevention among children and young people and to build social awareness of contemporary threats.

Youth Helpline – what do the numbers say?

To date, Youth Helpline specialists have conducted over 27,000 telephone conversations, over 3,100 chat conversations and nearly 2,200 online consultations with psychologists.

These figures clearly show the scale of the need for reliable help and how many young people need professional support.