Misinformation

It seems like just yesterday that the only concern parents had about their children using the Internet was talking to strangers. While that worry is certainly still valid, the evolution of the Internet has brought about even more concerns. Fake news and sources, disguised as valid and vetted information, has been a big issue lately for both kids and adults. Facebook, which many Americans use as their only news source, is making plans to crack down on fake news stories after being criticized as a source of misinformation during the election. What can you do as a parent about helping your kids (and yourself) be more careful about detecting misinformation in news stories on Facebook and elsewhere? Take a look at the article  Here's how to outsmart fake news in your Facebook feed and read over Snopes’ Field Guide to Fake Sites. Then sit down and talk to your kids about misinformation and how to help fight its spread.

Are your kids too trusting of what they find online? It might be good to introduce them to the WWWDOT Framework. WWWDOT in an acronym for the factors to consider when evaluating a website as a possible source of information:

• Who wrote it and what credentials do they have?
• Why was it written?
• When was it written or updated?
• Does it help meet my needs?
• Organization of site
• To-do list for the future

For more information on using the framework see the article Evaluation Websites as Information Sources on the Edutopia website.

Are your kids too trusting of what they find online? It might be good to introduce them to the WWWDOT Framework. WWWDOT in an acronym for the factors to consider when evaluating a website as a possible source of information:

• Who wrote it and what credentials do they have?
• Why was it written?
• When was it written or updated?
• Does it help meet my needs?
• Organization of site
• To-do list for the future

For more information on using the framework see the article Evaluation Websites as Information Sources on the Edutopia website.