Teaching the Dangers of Disinformation and Misinformation to My Children

If the Internet is an infinite source of knowledge, it is also the privileged playground of disinformation and misinformation, with the young audience as a prime target, especially that nowadays kids are starting to use the internet at a very young age.  

More and more false information is circulating on the Internet, ranging from humorous hoaxes and lies aimed at influencing the reader's opinion, to hidden advertisements and conspiracy theories. Children and young people may therefore find it harder to separate truth from lies, fact from fiction. 

To face this attack of disinformation and misinformation, it becomes as important to train children to critical thinking as it is to teach them how to read, write, and count. 

What is disinformation and why do kids engage in it? 

Disinformation is sharing false information on purpose. So why would a child purposely share false information, rumours, and lies even if they sometimes know that it is a lie? This can happen for a variety of reasons: 

• Some kids spread lies or rumours to intimidate other kids. But the child needs to know that this is a form of bullying, and it can have serious consequences.  
• Kids can also engage in disinformation to gain popularity among their peers. The child also needs to understand that this is not how we gain popularity. Popularity is gained by being kind and righteous. 
• Some kids feel like they have to follow what other kids are doing even if they know it is wrong, just to be accepted.  
• In some instances, kids spread false rumours to try to get more attention.  
• If a child is hurt or bullied, he often seeks revenge from the other child who hurt him by spreading lies about him. 

Types of misinformation or fake news:  

• Lies, something invented to deceive people; 
• False information that we share because we really believe it; 
• Information which is no longer true, but which was previously; 
•  a parody (hoax, joke). 

There are many reasons that can lead someone to spread false information on the Internet.  

Some are just pranksters who like to make jokes, but others have dishonest intentions and try to deceive people for financial or other advantages. 
And some people have no bad intentions at all. They just really believe the fake news they spread, or trust blindly in a friend that has previously shared it. Another reason is that it can be tempting to share something that is shocking with others. 

If your child’s online behaviour is prone to the spread of disinformation, start by explaining to him the negative consequences of his acts, and point out to him that by sharing false information, he is actively participating in its spread. Discuss the impact of reposting false information by telling your child that it might cause more people to be misled into believing something is true when it's not; this not only affects others in so many different ways but also causes irreversible harm to people.  

Teach your child to ask himself these 5 questions when reading any piece of information: 

• Who is the author of this piece? 
• What is the source? 
• Is the image retouched? 
• What is the context of the story? 
• What do specialized/ reliable sites say about this topic/issue?   

Practical tips to help your child manage the spread of false news

-Take part in your child's digital life to teach him to avoid the traps of misinformation. Define with him the different notions of information and misinformation including fake news and rumours related to current world events, or people.  

-Talk to him about information and news to guide him and promote his critical thinking and thus helping him decipher the messages. 

-Teach him the difference between a “humorous and parody media” and “mainstream media”. It is important that your child can tell them apart so as not to be fooled and share false information. 

- Explain to him the difference between fact and opinion. 

- Point out advertisements or sponsored stories disguised as news on social media or on news websites and ask your child to evaluate them. 

- Be sure to keep reminding them about the potential harm that could be caused by allowing false information to stand uncorrected. 

Children and young people get most of their news from social media feeds where false, exaggerated, or sponsored content is often dominant.  

Parents and caregivers have a huge responsibility in helping children hone their critical thinking skills so they can analyse information effectively and come up with their own conclusions. With the right tools, you can give them the knowledge they need to assess credible information. Instead of telling them what to think, teach them how to think for themselves, based on correct information.