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So they teach children what they should believe in social media
Meta has broken down his facts, which increases concerns about the spread of misinformation on social media. Find out how to guide your children to deal with online content.
So they teach children what they should believe in social media
Note from the editor: Kara Alaimo is a professor of communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Your book " Over the influence:
Many parents were already concerned about the possibility that their children on social media were exposed to misinformation and other harmful content before metas " Decision has been announced to abolish his facts.
The risks increase
Now there is reason to assume that the situation could worsen even further.
On Tuesday announced that the partnerships for the factual test for Instagram and Facebook are hired in the united. Instead, users can now write “community notes” on problematic articles. CEO Mark Zuckerberg recognized that the company will see less "harmful content" on its platforms.
What parents should teach their children
social media were not particularly careful with regard to the review of content before this decision was made. However, it is now all the more important that children learn how to distinguish what they should believe on social media. Parents also have the opportunity to talk to their children about why it is wrong to share or follow claims from the Internet or to follow them.
confirm with established media, not with influencers
In order to find out whether a post is exactly on social media, traditional media are a good starting point. "Think about whether other credible, established news sources report the same message," recommends James P. Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media , a non -profit organization, parents and teachers helps children and teachers to convey critical thinking. "If this is not the case, it does not mean that it is not true, but it should be reason to research deeper."
parents should encourage their children to "consume more news, not less," said Dr. Jingsi Christina Wu, professor of media sciences at Hofstra University in Long Island, New York, by email. Reading or watching news and subsequent discussions promote understanding. The more children consume news, the more they develop the cognitive skills for interpretation.
learn to think critically
When evaluating posts, children should also learn to take into account who created the content and whether this person appears trustworthy, what their motivations could be and who may be benefited or damaged. It is particularly important that children know that "their favorite influencers are not experts". Parents can explain that it is “okay to follow favorite tios or YouTubers for entertainment reasons, but they are not qualified experts and can have their own prejudices.”
Likewise, children (and their parents) should not assume that something is true just because it has a lot of calls or likes. "Viral spreading does not mean truth," warned Wu. In fact, "false messages spread faster because they use human instincts for sharing exceptional stories."
Caution of emotional content and algorithms
Small mistakes, such as spelling and grammatical errors, can also be an indicator of unreliable contributions, WU advised. Parents should encourage their children to pay attention to details in pictures and videos to recognize signs of manipulation. One example would be a hand with a false number of fingers, which could indicate that it was created by artificial intelligence.
If a contribution can cause strong emotions to you, children should consider this as a warning signal, says Steyer. "Misery and disinformation are generated to create extreme reactions from people."
children should also learn that they should not consume inaccurate or extremist content, since algorithms are designed to show users what they like - the more they look at certain types of posts or deal with it, the more likely they are displayed more similar content.
open dialogue with your children
WU says that parents should also encourage their children to contact them if they are unsure how they can evaluate the accuracy of content. Even if parents suspect that something is wrong, it is not advisable to express this immediately. "Children could feel judged or dismissed if parents simply laugh at things or dismiss all content on the Internet as wrong or unreliable," she warned.
Instead, WU suggests researching the children together. "This approach keeps the dialog open and takes away the stress of having to know everything at all times. It also shows the children that learning never stops and media literacy is a muscle that has to be trained."
Due to Metas new guideline, I expect children to be exposed to even more dangerous content on social media. But parents can protect their children by teaching them how to rate what they have seen online so that they know what they should believe and how they can avoid problematic posts.
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