Turning Misinformation Into Education

Misinformation and logical fallacies lurk in almost every corner of social media, so it can be tempting to shield kids entirely. But new research from UC Berkeley suggests that exposure to misinformation in a supervised environment can help kids become more diligent fact-checkers. Banning social media and other digital platforms might not be the best way to equip children with long-term media literacy.

I will begin an overview of this study and then offer some suggestions of how educators can use controlled online exposure to strengthen students’ critical thinking and digital literacy skills while minimizing the risk of harm.

Overview of the UC Berkeley Study

In a 2024 study published by Orticio, Meyer, and Kidd, children between the ages of four and seven were split into two groups and shown statements about animals. One group encountered only clearly true statements, and the other group was shown a mix of true and blatantly incorrect statements (for example, “Zebras have red and green stripes”).

The researchers then introduced a new, unfamiliar claim about fictitious creatures known as zorpies, “All zorpies have three eyes.” Children were shown a computer image of 20 zorpies wearing sunglasses. They could click to look under a zorpie’s sunglasses to check how many eyes it had. They were then given three options: accept the statement, reject the statement, or check another zorpie. Researchers measured how often children checked the zorpies for more evidence before deciding whether the statement was true. Compared to those who encountered only true statements, children who were exposed to a mix of true and false statements showed significantly higher vigilance when evaluating the novel claim.

The researchers performed two other related studies, which yielded similar results. You can read the full article here. The researchers remarked, “Early experiences with overly sanitized environments may lead children to develop overly trusting priors and rob them of opportunities to develop critical thinking skills. By the same token, early exposure to more heterogeneous informational environments may allow children to ‘flex their skepticism muscles’ and build upon their existing capacities for adaptive information seeking.”

Guided Exposure Methods 

Digital literacy is a skill that needs to be taught and practiced like any other. Appropriately controlled use of social media and other digital platforms can help kids build the skills they’ll need to be wise digital citizens in adulthood.

Here are some ways parents and teachers can build kids’ fact-checking skills:

The Three Tab Method

Select a claim to analyze, whether in an article, website, or even a social media post.

First, explore the source of the claim itself. For example, find out the author’s credentials and, if it’s a website, view its “About Us” page and mission statement. Second, check other sources to see if the information lines up. This is called lateral reading. For example, if a social media post claims a celebrity has passed away, have the child search reputable news sites like BBC, Reuters, or The New York Times. If no such coverage exists, chances are the post is false. Third, explore the claim on fact-checking sites like Snopes or bias-checking sites like AllSides.

You can put this all together and introduce with the Three Tab Method. When you come across a claim online, open three tabs to verify it.

• Tab 1: Investigate the source (author or website) to assess credibility.
• Tab 2: Seek additional coverage from established outlets on the same topic.
• Tab 3: Use fact-checking/myth-busting websites to verify the claim.

Scrolling Together

Logical fallacies and misinformation abound on social media. Age allowing, educators can teach students to spot fallacies and misinformation by scrolling through social media with them. As you do so, think aloud to demonstrate rational skepticism and ask guided questions. Let’s say you scroll to a news headline with a suspiciously sensationalized title. You can say, “Wow! That’s amazing. I want to share this article. Is there anything I should do first?” The students might suggest reading the article first, and maybe even doing some lateral reading to verify it.

You will probably come across logical fallacies. See if students can spot the flaws in reasoning. It will be helpful if you teach your students about some logical fallacies first. Even if the student doesn’t know the fallacy names, you can ask, “Do you see anything strange about this argument?” There’s a good chance you will also encounter errors in data analysis. For example, you may come across a statement like this, “Most cases of food poisoning come from pasteurized milk, so pasteurized milk must be riskier.” This is a common error known as base rate neglect. It ignores the fact that the vast majority of people drink pasteurized milk.

Needless to say, it helps tremendously if educators are equipped with critical thinking skills, too! Over time, children can explore the online world more independently. A good classroom discussion question is, “What logical fallacies (or replace this with sensationalized headlines/errors in data analysis/misinformation) did you see online today?”

Addressing Concerns

Some teachers may be concerned by the idea of exposing students to social media due to the effect it may have on kids’ mental health, especially with prominent voices such as Jonathan Haidt calling for banning social media for anyone under 16. These concerns are reasonable. To balance these concerns with the need for preparation and learning, I recommend following the American Psychological Association’s recommendations in their Health Advisory on Social Media Use in Adolescence.

To give a quick overview of this advisory, it highlights the importance of open communication channels. Children should be encouraged to share their online experiences and discuss confusing or concerning content. It also recommends setting age-appropriate boundaries and monitoring. Gradually increase digital autonomy as children show they can handle online interactions responsibly. Adults should look out for signs of problematic usage, such as interference with sleep. Moreover—and this might be the toughest one of all—adults should model responsible technology use.

If we deny children the chance to learn digital literacy skills in a controlled setting, they risk entering adulthood ill-prepared for the vast amounts of misinformation they’ll inevitably encounter. By thoughtfully introducing kids to social media and other online content, we can better prepare them for the reality of the digital age.

References

Orticio, E., Meyer, M. & Kidd, C. (2024). Exposure to detectable inaccuracies makes children more diligent fact-checkers of novel claims. Nature Human Behaviour.