In this generation, we have noticed a dramatic change in the last 20 years. The news can be accessed through social media and the 24-hour channel of news. The news being accessed so easily is becoming a part of our daily life. Before people would wait for the news on the TV to come on at a particular time. The generation we are in now younger children sees and read about the story that is giving them high anxiety from unreliable sources. In the article, it stated, "It is sensationalist, exaggerated and often patently false information, circulated to increase readership and revenue." (Cox, 2017) The older generation has more knowledge and experience to distinguish what is fake news and what's real news. The younger generation isn't experienced to tell what exact source is false news. The children are also not habituated to question at home or school, so, therefore, this is what causes the main issues. The most worry for children when reading the news is the fear of terrorism. The biggest problem right now is what's going on in the news with President Trump and North Korea. The children are not getting enough critical thinking skills that are creating the issues. The children are so connected to online like social media and connecting with friends versus real life. As noted in the article children are not being taught how to discern false information. Hopefully, children will learn and understand the difference between false information and reality. At times there can be devastating news, but the children need to be taught how to cope with the actual negative news.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/fake-news-children-anxiety-opinion-literacy-misinformation-schools-a7955046.html
Hey Abigail! I read the article that you attached and found it extremely interesting. I never really thought about how all the fake news and information that is all over social media could affect all the children that have access to social media today. As a person who did not have social media growing up, since it was not nearly as relevant as it is today, I never would have experienced what kids have to deal with today. A an educated adult, I can easily distinguish what is and is not fake new, but I can definitely see how that would be difficult for children to do.
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ReplyDeleteIt is true that children raised with the Internet are less able to discern , but I don't believe it is fair to call the impending threat of nuclear conflict with North Korea "fake news." There is a well-documented proclivity toward brinkmanship on the part of both Donald Trump and N. Korean leader Kim Jung Un. When the sitting president of the United States tweets threats of "fire and fury" saying that the country "won't be around much longer," that is something for every person in both countries, child or adult, to fear. It is something I myself have anxiety about, and that anxiety, I think, is warranted. Now, this is not to say that media consumption is not associated with negative mental health outcomes; it certainly is. There are studies linking Facebook use to depression, for example. But it's important not to confuse anxiety over something that isn't real with anxiety over something that is, and the escalation in rhetoric between the American and North Korean leaders is, in fact, very, very real.
ReplyDeleteThis is so important in today's media world! I work with children during the week and it always baffles me the amount of access they have to media. Along with good media information, comes even more misinformation. I think many schools are taking this issue into account. They have begun incorporating lessons on credibility within news sources.
ReplyDeleteHey Abby,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post, it is important to know where we're getting our information from we need to make sure it is a reliable source. I think sometimes we don't checkwhat we're reading and from where so we automatically believe it's true, that is very dangerous because not everything that is online is true. I also think it's crazy how kids are now involved in the equation, technology has truly changed our thought since what we're reading and from where so we automatically believe it's true, that is very dangerous because not everything that is online is true. I also think it's crazy how kids are now involved in the equation, technology has truly changed our thoughts. growing up I didn't have a phone, laptop, desktop, iPad or any sort of technology where I could check what was going on. The only information I was getting from was our television and it was only when my father would watch the news.