Most teens get their news as visual sources of information like videos and images from social media sites and YouTube. This means that social media, personalized news feeds and algorithms – the same tools that prioritize sensational content and play big roles in spreading misinformation and disinformation, are actually shaping our kids’ understanding of the world​​.

Misinformation is false information spread by people who think it’s true.
Disinformation is false information spread by people who know it’s false.

Our kids lack the analytical skills needed to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources – they need our help! They are likely to believe false claims and contribute to the spread of misinformation online among their peers​​​​. You can help your kids by teaching them that misinformation and disinformation come in different forms:

  • Satire or parody: Creators of the content know the information is false but share it for humor.
  • False connections: Clickbait content where the headline, visuals or captions don’t match the actual content.
  • Misleading content: Information is shared in a misleading way to frame an event, issue, or person in a particular way.
  • Fake context: Information is shared with incorrect background information.
  • Imposter content: A person, group or organization pretends they are another person or source.
  • Manipulated content: images or videos that are altered or changed in some way to deceive others.
  • Fabricated content: Disinformation created without any connection to truth, with intent to deceive and harm.

Realistically, it is hard for anyone – adults and kids alike, to identify false or exaggerated or misrepresented news. Your job is to teach your kids how to evaluate news sources and to not automatically accept at face value what they see on social media or digital news sites. Helping your kids to rise above the confusion by becoming better consumers of online information may be the MOST important life lesson! Learning how to judge news sites and protect oneself from inaccurate information is the highest priority in the digital information age.

Conversation Starters

  1. If people misunderstand the intent of satire or parody, they might spread it as true. How could this be harmful? Can you name examples of this in real life?
  2. How can misleading content (like intentionally using an old photo on a social media post) create anger?
  3. How can giving fake context cause unnecessary outrage. How does altering the context of information convince people of a belief or viewpoint?
  4. How can impersonation cause harm?
  5. What is the danger of manipulated content, true information that’s altered but hard to notice – AKA deep fakes?
  6. Give examples of how fabricated content or false information that can lead to harm.

Learn more:

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