Young fact-checkers explain how to discern info online

PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, in partnership with the Poynter Institute's MediaWise, hosted “Face the Facts: Election 2020 Youth Town Hall.” The virtual event engaged students and first-time voters to be prepared and better informed ahead of the November elections.

Watch the video below with students and then answer the discussion questions to learn how teen fact-checkers sift through a sea of misinformation to find trusted sources.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

First, have your students identify the 5Ws and an H:

• Who is offering insights on misinformation in this segment and what are their backgrounds?
• What are some types of misinformation common online?
• When and where are people exposed to misinformation, according to the three students reporters in the segment?
• Why do fact checkers and journalists have a hard time keeping up with misinformation online?
• How can you assess whether information is likely false or misleading, according to the student reporters in the segment?

CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS:

• What tools for assessing misinformation did you find particularly helpful?
• Have you ever tried to determine the reliability of memes or social media posts before? If so, what method did you use?
• Have you ever used a reverse image search or lateral reading to try and determine the reliability of a meme, post or article?
• How would you determine the objective or bias of an information source if you wanted to test its credibility?

***Questions were written by SRL’s sister site, PBS NewsHour Extra***