Italy's police launch anti‑fake campaign for 2026 Maturità exams

The Italian State Police’s cyber‑security unit and the education portal Skuola.net have revived their "Maturità al sicuro" campaign for the 2026 high‑school leaving exam. It is the 19th edition of the anti‑spoiler effort, aimed at countering fake‑news and rumors about the exam.

A Skuola.net survey of 1,000 students found that 20% believe they can locate exam material online before the papers are released, with 13% expecting early topic leaks and 7% convinced they could obtain full exam texts. About one‑fifth of students also think they can bring a smartphone into the exam room, and roughly one in five expects to use a smartwatch or AI‑based tools despite rules requiring phones to be surrendered.

The campaign seeks to clarify the official regulations – phones must be handed over, wearables are prohibited, and any attempt to use electronic devices can lead to exclusion – and to dispel myths that exam traces can be hacked. Organisers say the outreach has reduced misinformation, but the persistent belief in "spoilers" remains a concern for exam authorities.