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Fake News & Filter Bubbles: our new media literacy lesson plans

Young Citizens has launched two new resources for secondary schools to develop media literacy and digital citizenship.

On average, students spend around five hours a day online. But what are they being exposed to in that time? We must ensure that young people are equipped with necessary skills to critically analyse information they read on the internet.

Created in partnership with global consultancy firm FTI Consulting, our lesson plans will examine the rise of fake news and filter bubbles online, and give students the tools to combat them.

 

Fake News: The Evolution of Media

Over the past couple of years, we have lurched from pandemic to infodemic, with fake news plaguing social media. It is estimated that only 2% of school children have the basic skills to tell the difference between real and fake news. (Internet Matters)

In our Fake News resource, students look at the way media has evolved and the impact this has had. They will critically examine a number of ‘fake news’ stories that went viral on social media and consider how to make sure the news they consume is factual.

Download the lesson plan

 

Filter Bubbles: Tell Me What I Want To Hear

Did you know that news and social media sites control exactly what you see? They do this to hook people in and improve the user experience, keeping them on their site longer for financial gain. This distorts our reality, leading to polarised opinions and an intolerance for other points of view.

But our resource puts the control back in the hands of your students by helping them question the algorithm and recognise the importance of different perspectives.

Download the lesson plan

 

 

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