Fake news
Over the last three years, a new phrase has entered the common lexicon: fake news. In 2017, it was even the “word of the year”.
Despite awareness of the problem, last year the National Literacy Trust found that only 2% of students in the UK have the necessary skills to spot fake news.
The Day is a great place to start. Each news story is thoroughly researched, and includes a simple Q&A which separates what we know (fact) from we don’t know (speculation and opinion).
Other tips for spotting fake news include:
1. Have you heard of the website that has published the story? If not, check its “about page”.
2. Find out whether other outlets are reporting the same thing.
3. Check the story’s date and image. Was it published a long time ago? Does it use a stock image, or a photograph from a different story? (To find out, right click and “search Google for this image”.)
4. Does the story use emotional language or opinion, rather than facts?
5. Are there supporting quotes? If you search the names of the experts quoted, what do you find?
6 Do not mistake popularity for credibility — just because the article was shared online does not make it true.
Read more about fake news in this special report.
Read Our Stories
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UK lays out plans to teach fake news in schools
Can you be taught to spot fake news? Yesterday, the UK set out its plans to tackle disinformation online. It means that schools across the country will be required to teach news literacy.
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The sinister rise of deepfake videos
Will deepfakes destroy democracy? In a viral video, Mark Zuckerberg lays out his scheme for world domination using stolen data. But the footage isn’t real — it was created with AI technology.
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True or false? Only 2% get the answers right
Educate readers or clamp down on sources? A new report found that half of students worry about fake news. MPs say this is harming their “wellbeing, trust in journalism and democracy itself”.
Assembly
Can you spot the problem with these headlines? This short animated video gives a useful guide to reading between the lines of news stories. Discuss the dangers of fake news. What are the potential effects of some of these false or misleading science stories?
Activities
- Play two truths and a lie with your partner. Can you tell when they are telling the truth and when they are lying? What was difficult about the game.
- Have you ever been caught out by a fake news story? In groups, discuss what happened and explain what you learnt from the experience.
- Make a poster for primary school students explaining fake news, its problems, and how they can spot it.
