CCA Bulletin 5.4.25

Dear Parents,

Recently, Protect Young Eyes published a great article discussing how children can identify fake news. This phenomenon is becoming more common, and our students can easily fall prey to bad information. Here is how to teach your kids to be more savvy about the news they read.

1. Consider the Source

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Teach children to check the news source. Is it a reputable site or someone trying to replicate a real URL? Some sites are very authoritative-looking fakes of actual news sources. Be aware of unusual domain names, such as those that end in “.com.co.” They may appear legitimate but could give false information.  

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Similarly, checking the “About Us” page on websites can help kids understand the publication and its mission. Some sites may be satirical publications or claim to have fictitious information.

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2. Look at the Author

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The author is also a clue as to whether an article or page is authentic or fake news. If the individual hasn’t published any other articles, the site is not well known, or the information seems outlandish, then it’s likely not reliable. Likewise, the author should have professional contact information, not a personal email (like Gmail or Hotmail), in their bio. 

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Older kids can also be taught to think critically about authors and their potential biases. Encourage kids to ask questions to better understand where the information might come from, like “What incentive would this author have to share this information?”

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3. Check the Date

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Teach kids to make sure stories are not being taken out of context; some social sites make it easy to repost an article from years ago to make it appear relevant. Kids should learn how to check publication times to decide whether the topic is current or just an old story being recycled.

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4. Read the Article, Not Just the Headline

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Headlines are often appealing and meant to grab the reader’s attention. However, some headlines can be misleading. Encourage kids to read the full article to see if the headline means what it says or was simply a hook. In other words, don’t judge the news by the title! 

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For example, a headline that reads “Man Hugs Lion in the Wild on Safari Trip” is very intriguing but likely fake news. Some articles are clickbait and receive revenue based on the amount of traction or activity they receive. Kids should be careful not to fall prey to enticing headlines that are actually false.

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5. Pay Attention to Quality. Bad Grammar = Fake News

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Spelling, punctuation, or grammar errors may indicate that an article is not from a trustworthy source and is likely fake news. Credible sites have high standards for quality and require extensive proofreading. Similarly, authentic news articles will link to other quality news sources. 

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6. Find What Else Is Being Said About the Topic 

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Look to other articles concerning the topic. If no other news sources report on the issue, it’s likely fake news. If other articles exist, help kids sift through the information to see where the differences lie. 

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Unfortunately, false information can spread, meaning other sources could unknowingly report irrelevant or incorrect information. Fact-checking websites like FactCheck.org, Snopes.com, and PolitiFact.com are all good sources that kids can rely on to verify information they’re unsure about.

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7. Talk with Your Children About Fake News

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Talk with your children regularly about being safe and smart online, and make sure they know the door is always open to ask any questions. Start conversations about stories you see on social media or photoshopped images on the cover of a magazine. Help kids use secure, reputable sites and be wary of social media accounts or websites that give misleading, inappropriate, or false information—some of which may appear enticing. 

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While you can’t always be present to ensure kids stay safe online, you can set them up for success by teaching them how to spot fake news and any unreliable or inappropriate sites. Kids can “Be Internet Awesome” with your help and guidance. 

Blessings,

Sherrie Gibelyou

sherrie.gibelyou@ccatacoma.org

253-389-0349