[UK] Children to be taught how to spot fake news and 'putrid' conspiracy theories online in wake of riots

Stamau123@lemmy.world to World News@lemmy.world – 293 points – Children to be taught how to spot fake news and 'putrid' conspiracy theories online in wake of riots
news.sky.com

Changes to the curriculum could mean schoolchildren analyse articles in English lessons to weed out fabricated stories, learn how to identify fake news in computer classes and analyse statistics in maths.

Bridget Phillipson said she is launching a review of the curriculum in both primary and secondary schools to embed critical thinking across multiple subjects and arm children against "putrid conspiracy theories".

It means schoolchildren may analyse articles in English lessons to help learn how to them weed out fabricated clickbait from accurate reporting.

Computer lessons could teach them how to spot fake news sites and maths lessons could include analysing statistics in context.

24

I had to go through similar lessons here in Colorado. A 30 minute meeting in the library saying "hey, if the new site this story is coming from was created 6 months ago, probably bullshit. And ask yourself why some news from last year is being posted today without context." Little stuff like that. At the time I thought it was useless, but I've seen since that so many people Don't even think of these small precautions.

And by the time you've been through all those, your grandparents have forwarded it to you on Facebook with a Minion picture on it and "Something needs to be done!!!! 😡😡😡" written under it.

But at least you'll be informed. Sadly the speed of the internet is much faster than the speed of thought.

2 more...

I went to a state school in the UK and remember being taught media literacy, this would've been just over 10 years ago now. I don't know if it was part of the curriculum or just something they decided to add (while it was a state school, it was a very good one in a wealthy area).

We were told to read headlines and guess what the story was about, then we were shown a neutral article that objectively described what happened to highlight how misleading the headlines and pictures were. Among other things, but that sticks out in my mind.

I honestly think it was a fantastic life skill to teach.

Calling it now: any challenges to the status quo (aka holding capitalism and the christian white supremacist patriarchal ableist state and establishment responsible for creating the mess we're in for their own benefit) are going to be categorised as “putrid conspiracy theories” right along side and equally to shit like blaming the Jews for controlling and manipulating the economy, asylum seekers for stealing all the jobs and white women, trans people for grooming and turning all the kids, disabled people for draining the tax pot, and communists for anything that's left over.

The education system is far too valuable an asset to the state, they're not going to let such an important tool of indoctrination be subverted to the point where it can be used against them.

So the kids can get a little critical thinking, as a treat, but not enough to give them ideas above their station.

In fairness, this isn't massively new and I was taught similar back when I was in school. It was genuinely a really good life skill to teach to kids and it was politically neutral.

It's a slippery slope.

What happens when, after identifying fake news, they realise that really don't need the this year's new smart phone?

Does the UK not teach media literacy? I went to public school in Texas and we were given lessons on basic media literacy every few years at a minimum, though I don't think it was in-depth enough.

1 more...

We used to have media studies at school. I know my brother took it, but four years later, when I joined the same school, it wasn't available to me.

What did media studies actually involve?

Pretty much just the critical thinking poster somebody already posted here