Misinformation

Got a minute? Take a look at the some of the short advice videos on the Common Sense Media site for some great videos that could start a discussion with your kids about particular digital safety issues. Topics include ways to spot fake news, four great fact-checking sites, five internet safety tips, five tips for dealing with haters and trolls and much more.

Education startup Newsela, in partnership with the American Press Institute, is teaching kids to be more discerning when consuming online news material. Servicing over one million American teachers, the organization started out by teaching literacy skills to kids through online articles, and has now taken on a more “civic-minded role” after the election. Questions such as “Where do the facts come from?” and “Is there a bias?” have been added to their usual article comprehension list. According to the company, both children and adults today need someone to show them the way to question news sources.

Education startup Newsela, in partnership with the American Press Institute, is teaching kids to be more discerning when consuming online news material. Servicing over one million American teachers, the organization started out by teaching literacy skills to kids through online articles, and has now taken on a more “civic-minded role” after the election. Questions such as “Where do the facts come from?” and “Is there a bias?” have been added to their usual article comprehension list. According to the company, both children and adults today need someone to show them the way to question news sources.

According to a Slate.com article by Alexander Burgoyne and David Hambrick, human brains are wired to retain only the gist of information consumed, creating difficulty in remembering the source of news and whether it is flagged as fake or not. Exposure to fake news could even lead us to “remember” things that never happened. Other research has shown that people are vulnerable to false memories even when they are explicitly warned that they may be exposed to misinformation.  This might undermine efforts by Facebook and others to curb false news on social media, a problem particularly prevalent during the presidential election and certainly something you might want to talk with your children about as part of your ongoing discussion of digital literacy and citizenship.

According to a Slate.com article by Alexander Burgoyne and David Hambrick, human brains are wired to retain only the gist of information consumed, creating difficulty in remembering the source of news and whether it is flagged as fake or not. Exposure to fake news could even lead us to “remember” things that never happened. Other research has shown that people are vulnerable to false memories even when they are explicitly warned that they may be exposed to misinformation.  This might undermine efforts by Facebook and others to curb false news on social media, a problem particularly prevalent during the presidential election and certainly something you might want to talk with your children about as part of your ongoing discussion of digital literacy and citizenship.

As the battle against fake news continues, several websites have been created that allow you to verify sources of news articles. One article you may want to check out that includes an extensive list of fake news sites is Snopes' Field Guide to Fake News Sites and Hoax Purveyors. A great source to bookmark is RealorSatire.com, which allows you to post the URL of any article and it will quickly tell you if the article comes from a fake or biased news website. Also helpful are FactCheck.org and FirstDraftNews.com. Following them on Twitter and Facebook will yield a steady stream of informative posts. Teachers are also trying to deal with the problem of fake news, so it is a good idea for parents to discuss with their children who may be using the Internet for research on current events.

As the battle against fake news continues, several websites have been created that allow you to verify sources of news articles. One article you may want to check out that includes an extensive list of fake news sites is Snopes' Field Guide to Fake News Sites and Hoax Purveyors. A great source to bookmark is RealorSatire.com, which allows you to post the URL of any article and it will quickly tell you if the article comes from a fake or biased news website. Also helpful are FactCheck.org and FirstDraftNews.com. Following them on Twitter and Facebook will yield a steady stream of informative posts. Teachers are also trying to deal with the problem of fake news, so it is a good idea for parents to discuss with their children who may be using the Internet for research on current events.

A new analysis from Web analytics firm Jumpshot found that Facebook users are two-and-a-half times more likely to read fake news on the platform than news from reputable publishers. However, Millennial users were 16% less likely than the general population to click on a fake news story, with only 27% of 13-33 year-olds saying they always trust news on social media. With 79% of its traffic generated from Facebook, “Occupy Democrats” was the No. 1 fake news publisher in terms of referrals from the social network, followed closely by “American News” (78%), and “Addicting Info” (73%). By comparison, Huffington Post ranked highest among the actual news sites measured, with 29% of its traffic emanating from Facebook, followed by The New York Times (20%) and CNN (11%).

A new analysis from Web analytics firm Jumpshot found that Facebook users are two-and-a-half times more likely to read fake news on the platform than news from reputable publishers. However, Millennial users were 16% less likely than the general population to click on a fake news story, with only 27% of 13-33 year-olds saying they always trust news on social media. With 79% of its traffic generated from Facebook, “Occupy Democrats” was the No. 1 fake news publisher in terms of referrals from the social network, followed closely by “American News” (78%), and “Addicting Info” (73%). By comparison, Huffington Post ranked highest among the actual news sites measured, with 29% of its traffic emanating from Facebook, followed by The New York Times (20%) and CNN (11%).

It seems like just yesterday that the only concern parents had about their children using the Internet was talking to strangers. While that worry is certainly still valid, the evolution of the Internet has brought about even more concerns. Fake news and sources, disguised as valid and vetted information, has been a big issue lately for both kids and adults. Facebook, which many Americans use as their only news source, is making plans to crack down on fake news stories after being criticized as a source of misinformation during the election. What can you do as a parent about helping your kids (and yourself) be more careful about detecting misinformation in news stories on Facebook and elsewhere? Take a look at the article  Here's how to outsmart fake news in your Facebook feed and read over Snopes’ Field Guide to Fake Sites. Then sit down and talk to your kids about misinformation and how to help fight its spread.