What Kinds of Fake News Do Students See? Fake News Examples for Students

The ability to identify credible news sources is a prerequisite for engaging in healthy online and offline discussions. The majority of PenPals get their news from the internet, but most of them are unsure if fake news is an issue. Explore fake news examples for students in Facts, Opinions, and Fake News. 

In a recent study, researchers from Stanford were shocked to find that over 80% of high school students struggle to verify photographic evidence and over 80% of middle school students can’t tell the difference between a real news story and sponsored content on social media. By sharing fake news examples with students, teachers can help students learn more about why fake news is created and shared, and how it impacts communities around the world.

This week, we celebrate ten PenPals of the Week who learned how to identify and combat fake news by participating in Facts, Opinions, and Fake News: Robbie, Elsa, Disa, and Emma from Sweden; Aidan, Brienna, Vanessa, and Ava from the USA; and Akhtam and Darina from Russia. These PenPals also shared fake news examples and articles from their own communities. 

VIEW FACTS, OPINIONS, AND FAKE NEWS SYLLABUS

As students explore fake news stories, PenPals learn that it’s important to consider the intentions behind an article. Emotionally or politically charged pieces in particular deserve further research before being accepted as truth. News sources sometimes prioritize their own message and agenda over neutral reporting and sourcing. 

“A fake news site in Sweden with a reputation for being extreme right wing is NyaTider. They usually bend the truth because they want people to think like them. For example, they exaggerate the migrant crisis in France. They have a picture but we can’t see who took the picture and if the picture is really taken where they say it is. If you see a news site like this, you have to look at what they want with the text and check with another news site that you know is reliable.”
- Robbie B, Sweden

“An example of fake news that I have heard was that President Donald Trump's inauguration crowd size was ‘the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration.’ When compared to President Obama's 2009 inauguration, the crowd was only 1/3 the size. This was published to get people excited about President Trump's Presidency or to use it as propaganda.”
- Ava M, United States

“A few days ago, an American reconnaissance aircraft flew very close to the borders of Russia. Our intercept plane flew up close to the American plane to scout and ask it to change course. The American media announced that our plane violated flight rules, flying too close to the aircraft. What the US spy plane was doing near Russia's borders is not explained. The Western media is used for political purposes, which would distort or give wrong information.”
- Akhtam S, Russia

"I'm worried about the false news about the domestic policy of my country. Russian news is aimed at foreign policy, thereby distracting the people from the internal political problems. People want to know what is happening in the country where they live."
​- Darina M, Russia

Other publishers write sensational headlines or exaggerate stories in hopes of attracting a wider audience base and make more money.  

“You can always find fake news in tabloids. They often make up stories out of small things to get money and views. For example, tabloids and fans thought Kylie Jenner confirmed her pregnancy because she put out a pictures of cinnamon buns on her Snapchat. In Sweden, we have a lot of tabloids that only make money out of fake news about the royal family.”
- Elsa B, Sweden

“The place that I encounter fake news the most is Youtube. It feels like nowadays every Youtuber uses click-bait on their videos to get more views. Youtubers don’t get paid for the amount of subscribers they have, only for the views, so they just need people to click on their videos. But people who don’t watch the video and just scroll past it in their subscription box and see the title might think it’s real, which leads to spreading fake news and rumors.”
- Emma M, Sweden

“One website I found that was interesting and fake is ABCnews.com.co, which was closed down in October 2017. The web site owner, Paul Horner, mimicked the URL, logo, and the news of the real website, ABC News. Horner claimed to making $10,000 a month. Many stories from ABCnews.com.co have gone viral and tricked many people into believing the articles.”
​- Aidan V, United States

Some media platforms are built on anonymous publications where anybody can submit work. These sites may contain false information since unqualified authors are not held accountable for what they write.

“One example I have of fake news is Wikipedia. In Wikipedia, anybody can add things and people can think it’s real, but sometimes, it’s not. Some of these publishers just want content and want people to believe what they post.”
- Vanessa R, United States

“There is a site called Flashback where you can basically write anything about anyone. I think that it's bad because you don't know if it's real or fake. If users weren’t anonymous, there would be less hate and fake news.”
​- Disa V, Sweden

During their project, our PenPals of the Week didn’t just discuss how fake news affects communities today, but also how media bias and propaganda have influenced events throughout history.

“An example of fake news was when Hitler was making propaganda against the Jews. He was making false claims against them saying that they were bad people and that they were dangerous to the world. When this propaganda came out, people in Germany and in other countries were convinced that it was true and followed Hitler to be the leader of Germany.”
​- Brienna A, United States

We are so proud of our PenPals of the Week for engaging in healthy discussions with their peers about media literacy and fake news!

Want to train your students to be better digital learners and combat fake news? Find more fake news examples for your students in Facts, Opinions, and Fake News.

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