Spotting misinformation and fake news
Computer Science · Key Stage 2 · The School
Wrong information, on purpose or not
MISINFORMATION is information that is false. Some of it is spread by mistake. Some, called DISINFORMATION, is created deliberately to trick people. Both spread the same way: someone shares it, believing it, and others do the same, often without checking it first.
Signs of a fake story
A story trying to make you feel very angry or very afraid, very fast, is worth extra suspicion. So is a story with no named source. So is one that cannot be found reported anywhere else. Real news is rarely the only place a big story appears. A truly important story is almost always covered by more than one outlet within hours. A strong reaction is a reason to check, not a reason to share right away.
A changed photo can lie too
A photo does not have to be invented to mislead. An old photo from a different event can be shared with a new, false caption. A real photo can also be changed digitally. Seeing a photo is not the same as it proving the story around it. A quick reverse image search can often show where a photo first appeared. It can show when, too.
Checking before sharing
A story claims a famous person said something outrageous. Searching their name alongside the claim finds nothing else. No other source reports it. No official statement exists anywhere. That gap is itself the answer. A truly big claim from a real person would be reported everywhere, not found nowhere. Checking takes one search and a minute of reading, before a single share is made.