Better Internet for Kids

Children and young people live in a digital world where almost everyone can produce or share information and create online content. But how do we judge what (and who) is reliable? 

This deep dive will provide an explanation of what misinformation and disinformation is, the impacts they can have on the safety and wellbeing of your child, and what you can do as a parent/carer to support your child to be media literate. 

Misinformation is false or inaccurate information, that is shared without an intention to harm or deceive.

Disinformation is when false information is knowingly shared to cause harm.

Council of Europe

The above graphic identifies seven main types of mis- and disinformation:

• Satire or parody – potential or intention to fool but not to harm.
• False connection – Headlines, visuals or captions that do not match the content it appears alongside.
• Misleading content – Using information in a misleading context about an issue, new story or individual.
• False context – Sharing genuine information in a false context, such as using accurate facts to support a false conclusion.
• Imposter content – Impersonating genuine sources or figures with the aim to deceive.
• Manipulated content – Altering genuine information or content (such as images or videos) in order to deceive.
• Fabricated content – Content that is entirely false, in order to deceive and harm others.

You will notice from the graphic that the types are ordered from low to high in terms of potential harm (lowest: satire/parody, highest: fabricated content).

There are other forms of misinformation and disinformation that could be added to the graphic.

Where would you place these types based on the possible harm they could cause to your child?

• Fake news (news stories that may contain little or no accurate facts)
• Deep fakes (edited video where one person’s face is replaced with another)
• AI generated photos (Images created by artificial intelligence based on a given description)
• Conspiracy theories (Theories usually centred around famous people or events in history, suggesting they are different from how they appear)
• Clickbait (Adverts or thumbnail images that encourage users to click through to a news story/article, to discover it is very different to the original image)
• Memes (Images accompanied by a humorous caption, which often differs from the meaning of the image)

You may be able to think of other online content related to misinformation or disinformation that sits on this scale.

Both human behaviour and technology can play a part in the spread of false or misleading information:

Human behaviour

Human behaviour plays a key role in the spread of misinformation and disinformation online. This can include:

• Trolls - some online users will deliberately spread false information to create conflict and upset other users. They may target a high-profile celebrity or a random online user.
• Echo chambers – where someone only visits online spaces/groups where other people share the same views. This can lead to thinking that their opinion is ‘correct’ and can strengthen existing beliefs, even if what they think/believe is incorrect or flawed.
• Circular reporting –where a piece of information seems to come from many different sources but is actually from a single source. This creates the impression that many people have checked its accuracy but have actually all cited from the same source.
• Fraudsters and scammers - Cybercriminals frequently use social media to promote fake advertisements or articles. These ads and articles often have a convincing appearance and try to imitate real ones. The majority of these types of scams are motivated by money. There are two major ways scammers try to get your money: persuading you to invest/buy in unnecessary or fake products/services, and stealing personal data that allows them to financially benefit.

Technology

There are also number of features unique to online services and technology that also assist the spread of false or misleading information:

• Algorithms and filter bubbles - Popular social media platforms and video sharing sites track and collect data on what you watch and do on their services, and who you are. This data is used by algorithms to present you with content you might be interested in. In other words, the content you see on your social media platforms becomes highly personalised due to these algorithms. In this way, the more you encounter misleading information about a certain topic on your social media platforms, the more you will be exposed to similar posts. This can create a ‘filter bubble’, where you end up seeing a narrow range of information or opinions based on your previous interests and views.
  Want to understand the origins of filter bubbles? Check out this TED Talk by Eli Pariser.
• Search engine optimisation - A technique of boosting the quality and quantity of search engine traffic to a website or a web page. Groups wishing to spread false information online or promote their own beliefs have become increasingly skilled in manipulating search engine results to get that their website or social media profile appears higher up the list. By achieving this, they have more views and a greater reach. 
• Fake advertisements - Fake ads are often used to lead you to websites containing misleading information. Advertisements featured on high-profile sites like Facebook, Instagram or Google don’t undergo the same checks as advertisements that appear on TV, radio or in newspapers and magazines. This article explains more.

These fake ads may not only trick you into buying something questionable or dangerous, but you could also become a victim of a financial scam.

• Persuasive design - Features such as ‘like’, ‘retweet’ and ‘favourite’ are all used to encourage users to interact with the online content they see. Content with lots of social interactions (such as likes and comments) is more likely to continue to spread as some users may believe a popular post to be a trustworthy post, and share it further.
• Bot networks - Bots are small programs used to perform specific online actions that mimic human behaviour (e.g. sending messages, liking posts, retweeting, following other accounts, etc.). These can be used to continuously post false information as well as use false information to respond to other (real) users. Using bots to create fake accounts and follow other accounts can be a quick way to provide a large following to an online account, which can convince some users that it is credible when it is not.

Want to learn more? Check out this article.

There are a number of reasons why online users may share misleading content or contribute to its spread:

• It validates their beliefs - If a user encounters online content that they agree with, they are more likely to share it with others online. They are also more likely to take the information at face-value rather than fact-check it.
• Furthers a motive - Some online users may choose to share false information if it fits with their personal gain such as a scam, hate speech or fraud.
• Lack of challenge – If no one challenges false information online, other users might believe it is true. This may encourage them to also share it on to others.

This study by Buchanan (2020) found that users most likely to share misleading information online did so because they believed it to be true, or because it aligned with their existing beliefs.

Spreading misleading or false information is known to be disruptive, potentially destructive and harmful to individuals, groups and society. So, what drives people to produce this kind of information?

• To make money - If you see misleading news items with shocking titles on social media, you are more likely to click on them. These clicks generate a lot of advertising revenue for websites. But fake news is also used to sell products, for example: a miracle cure for an infectious disease or a product that a celebrity is supposedly very enthusiastic about.
• To acquire data - Misleading content may encourage users to interact with it in a way of capturing data about individuals and their behaviour, such as login credentials, other identifying information, financial details, contact details, etc. This may be used to encourage other similar behaviour in the future.
• To scam people out of money, data or property - Some forms of false information are deliberately used by cybercriminals to trick people into making payments or sharing personal data. These scams often involve emails or messages that appear to be from a trusted company asking for personal data, but actually leading to fake websites designed to steal the data.
• To promote ideas/beliefs - Misleading or false content may be used as a method to influence an online user’s beliefs and ideas, usually in an attempt to align them more closely with the beliefs of the content creator. This could be done to influence religious beliefs or political views, or to undermine trust in other selected groups. In the last few years, there is growing evidence that some countries may have interfered with the political processes in other countries, using social media to spread false and misleading information that might affect the electorate.

The risks posed by misleading or false content can vary from individual to individual. For children and young people, their age, development and online experiences can also affect the likelihood and nature of risk from information disorder.

Here are some risks that are common to many online users:

• Financial loss - Individuals might be the victim of an online scam, phishing, etc. and lose large amounts of money.
• Personal data theft - People’s data and personal information can be exposed by people who produce misleading content.
• Believing false information - As some users may exist in a filter bubble, they might see only the news they want to see. Some of this news can be fake news but might be perceived to be real and trustworthy.
• Drowning in irrelevant content - Individuals might experience difficulties in knowing where to get the most relevant facts about certain topics or events because of the overload of information online.
• Risks to mental health and emotional well-being - Disinformation can harm our mental health because it’s purposefully manipulative and designed to cause anxiety. The level of untrustworthy content can also overwhelm people and increase anxiety.
• Risks to physical health and safety - Misleading information about health, medicines, exercise and diets can be dangerous for people who are sensitive to these kinds of information. This kind of information can greatly endanger a person's health.

The wealth of information online can make it difficult to always identify what is fake or misleading. However, these key questions from ‘News in the Classroom’ can help you and your child to spot false information:

1. Is the title neutral? Is it click-bait?
   The title doesn't always say it all. For example, did you know that titles online are sometimes modified to get more clicks? Or that titles also often include quotes?
2. Who is the author?
   Is there an author listed? Does the author really exist? Does he/she write for well-known sites/newspapers?
3. What is the date?
   When was the message written? Is the content current? Sometimes there is a new date to an old article and the title and content have been updated.
4. Who published the news? 
   A news medium? A person via social media? What audience does the author want to reach?
5. What are the sources?
   Where does the information come from? From another news medium, organisation, interview or report? 
6. Are the hyperlinks correct?
   Articles refer to other websites, organisations or information. But are these real? And do they match what is claimed in the article? 
7. What reason did the author have?
   What is the author's intent? Is it advertising? Is it an opinion? Is it to make you laugh? 
8. What are my preconceptions?
   You often have a preference for someone who says or writes something. Your personal experiences or striking images can influence you.
9. How is the info presented?
   Some alarm signals: edited images, spelling errors and a lot of capital letters and exclamation points are suspicious. 
10. Why do I get to see this?
    Online, you often get to see different news stories than your friends. That's the result of what you look up online, who your friends are and which preferences you have. 

Using the above tips, can you decide which of the following news stories are true, and which are fake? (Answers at the bottom of this section!)

1. Uber to pay $9m in sex-assault report settlement
2. Google Maps will soon suggest most eco-friendly route
3. Lottery winner arrested for dumping $200,000 of manure on ex-boss’ lawn
4. Religious Americans less likely to believe intelligent life exists on other planets
5. Man Tries To Trade Kidnapped Baby For 15 Big Macs At Arkansas McDonald’s
6. Swedes invent antifreeze for humans!

Did you correctly identify the fake news stories?

Answers: 1. TRUE, 2. TRUE, 3. FAKE, 4. TRUE, 5. FAKE, 6.FAKE

Taking time to talk to your child and teach them skills to spot misleading/false content can be a great way to empower them to keep themselves and others safe online.

Not sure where to start? These tips can help:

• Start early! – Discussions around real and fake online content can start at a young age with your child as they start to explore the online world. Developing media literacy skills early can give children time to practise and refine those skills as they get older.
• Talk about emotions – misleading content is designed to produce strong emotions such as anger, fear or outrage. Talking about these with your child can help them recognise false information that tries to manipulate their emotions.
• Encourage questions – The best way to spot misleading information is to ask questions about it. Encourage your child to question information that they think might be false or misleading.
• Encourage different points of view – Although sometimes difficult, seeking out opposing views online can help your child to take a more informed view on an issue or topic.
• Don’t dismiss your child’s views – If your child talks to you about something online that you know is false, it is better to discuss it further than dismiss their views as being nonsense or stupid.
• Make it interesting and fun – Some fake news stories and AI-generated content is so ridiculous that it is easy to spot as fake, but these can be interesting to look at and judge together. The BBC post monthly quizzes on spotting AI images.