The Internet, especially social networks, floods us daily with countless news, messages and stories. In the process, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between truth and deception. Teaching children how to recognize false information on the Internet is a real challenge. This article offers practical advice on how to deal with disinformation and false news on the Internet and how to talk to your child about it.
The many news items, reports and stories that we encounter every day usually come from television programs, daily newspapers, people in our environment or well-known personalities. Many are spread by lesser-known people on the Internet and through messenger services like WhatsApp. However, the senders also include websites and people who intentionally spread lies or half-truths in order to cause confusion. They deliberately spread disinformation, rumors, or even hateful messages designed to stir up insecurity and deliberately deceive us.
It is not only difficult for children and young people to distinguish trustworthy news from fake news. Because often these fake news are so skillfully made that at first glance they look like serious news . This can be problematic, especially when it comes to political contributions with an extremist or populist background or when conspiracy theories are spread. Content that can unsettle or frighten younger children in particular is also problematic. Deep fake videos in particular look deceptively real. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize the differences between disinformation, false news and satire.
Disinformation spreads especially when people are insecure anyway and even experts or politicians do not have answers to all questions – such as during the Corona crisis and the Ukraine war. Fake news often provides the answers you want and can help deal with uncertainty. Unfortunately, they are not true. Questions like “Are the vaccines safe, too?” or “Where does the virus come from?” are answered with inappropriate numbers and false facts. The problem with this is that the more often such articles are clicked on, the more often they are displayed – and people believe them to be true. That’s why it’s important to realize that not everything you read is necessarily true.
Determining whether it is indeed a hoax can be a tricky task. Therefore, it is helpful to follow clear steps to curb the spread of disinformation:
Check where the message came from and who wrote it. Is the author known and expert on the subject? Is it a reputable website?
Try to verify the message with different sources. Ask yourself how up-to-date the information is and check where the figures and data mentioned come from as well as the context in which they were collected.
Pay attention to the way the message is presented. Is the language serious and factual, or is emotional language and excessive capitalization used? Does the article contain catchwords such as “lying press” or similar provocative terms? Could the article be meant satirically?
Make sure photos and videos match the message and are up-to-date. Pay attention to captions and whether they actually represent what is being described or are from another context.
Discuss news and messages together as a family. Your child should understand that not everything on the Internet or sent via WhatsApp does not have to be true. If you check messages together, it can gradually learn to distinguish true from false. Ask for your child’s opinion and share your own thoughts. This will help you and your child be more confident and prepared to recognize and counter disinformation and fake news on the Internet.
Fake news spreads especially when many people forward or share it. Therefore, you should always consider whether a message can really be true. Here are some tips on where to check Fake News and how you and your child can learn to deal with it in a fun way:
The Internet is full of photos and videos. When there are pictures to go with a text, people often take that as proof that it is a true news story. Unfortunately, photos and videos can also be deceiving or even fake. Deep Fakes refers to just such fakes. They lead to the fact that disinformation can be spread even better, because they look very convincing.
Artificial intelligence, or very clever computer programs, can be used to falsify or completely recreate sound or video recordings. Deep Fake developers can, for example, put any statement into a person’s mouth or make them do things they didn’t do in real life. The software analyzes recordings of a person and “learns” their facial expressions and gestures. After that, any sentences can be spoken and the recording manipulated to make it look as if the person said it themselves.
Meanwhile, this software can be downloaded from the net for free. There are even relatively easy-to-use apps, so almost anyone can create and distribute Deep Fakes.
Fake videos are dangerous because they look so convincing. Information in text form is viewed more critically by people than information that is seemingly proven with photos or videos. Many people know that photos can be faked, but this is not yet so well known about videos. Children and younger adolescents in particular are at great risk of falling for this deception because their media skills are not yet very well developed.
Many deep fakes are created for fun, such as to alter well-known movie scenes and entertain the audience. However, it is also becoming increasingly common for the fakes to be produced with malicious intent: Fake news spread to influence political opinions thus becomes more credible and also more dangerous. Fake video and audio recordings can also be used to commit fraud by initiating money transfers using false identities. The goal of a Deep Fake is usually to harm a single person. In addition to politicians and celebrities, private individuals also become victims time and again.
When teenagers fall for deep fakes because they don’t recognize them as fakes, in most cases it’s harmless. If the trick is cleared up after the fact, such as in a video by a famous German YouTuber, it can even be an educational experience.
It becomes problematic when young people allow themselves to be manipulated by Deep Fakes into revealing certain information or into putting themselves in inappropriate or dangerous situations.
It can also happen that teenagers themselves are targeted and a Deep Fake is created that exposes them. This can be a very embarrassing and traumatic experience for those involved.
New technical possibilities are also always attractive to young people. It may be that your child is trying to create Deep Fakes himself. So far, there are no specific regulations on deep fakes, nevertheless they can be legally problematic. For example, there is a risk of copyright infringement through the use of protected video recordings. Videos can also violate personal rights if they are insulting or defamatory.
Deep fakes are a relatively new phenomenon that is rapidly evolving. While it’s not always easy to understand the technical details, it’s important to talk to your child about these topics. Here are a few tips on what points you can address:
“logo!” ZDF’s children’s news explains how to recognize deep fakes.
“Reporter” a YouTube channel of public broadcasters, takes a closer look at how Deep Fakes are created.
“Deutschlandfunk Nova” the young information program from Deutschlandfunk explains in a youth-friendly way how to recognize manipulated videos.
Whether chain letters or YouTube videos: Momo may have also scared your child. For weeks, people read reports and articles about the creepy figure with wide eyes and a scary grin. Thus, parents and teachers were also panicked and a real Momo hype arose. Media coverage has contributed to this.
Momo first appeared on WhatsApp in 2018 as a chain letter. In it, readers were invited to take part in various challenges and allegedly incited to self-harm. A photo of the creepy figure, which is actually a sculpture by a Japanese artist, caused great fear, especially among younger children. The chain letter was followed in 2019 by alleged WhatsApp accounts of Momo, which directly contacted children and young people. YouTuber posted videos online in which you apparently chatted with Momo and engaged in risky tasks.
It probably started with a local newspaper in England, which took a Facebook post by a concerned mother as an opportunity to report on Momo. Other media picked up on the Momo phenomenon. This was followed by reports about YouTube videos and children’s series in which Momo suddenly appears and about a schoolgirl’s alleged suicide attempt for which the creepy figure was responsible. Parents, teachers and children were warned about Momo.
Many reports subsequently turned out to be untrue or at least greatly exaggerated. Information was hardly ever checked for accuracy. False reports ultimately triggered the Momo scandal.
Although no one was ever written to directly by Momo, the character suddenly posed a real threat. Messages were forwarded, because one also wanted to warn friendly parents or neighbors. Adults fell for what they actually want to protect their children from: The principle of chain letters – the uncritical forwarding of messages that have not been checked for truth.
The great media attention also encourages imitators: New chain letters are sent out into the world, WhatsApp accounts with the name Momo are created. Thus, the issue gets an enormous amount of attention and panic ensues. It is a vicious circle: Again and again new events and reports that do not break off further promote the Momo hype.
Other phenomena and challenges are also extremely inflated by media attention. You may have heard of the so-called Blue Whale Challenge – a game that allegedly drives children and teens to suicide. The existence of this game has never been proven. Through constant media reports, the Challenge finally became known in Germany as well.
Do not respond to your child’s fear with panic, but explain that such stories are often made up and that chain letters have the sole function of frightening and pressuring recipients. Make it clear that many reports are falsehoods and there is no reason to be afraid. Because why should you be afraid of something that doesn’t exist?
Explain to your child what false reports are and how to recognize them. You can read more about this in our article on Fake News.
Always be a point of contact for your child, even when it comes to their online experiences! If you notice that, for example, Momo, similar scary characters or problematic challenges appear in YouTube videos, report this content – directly to YouTube or to jugendschutz.net.
Whether you learn of such incidents through an article, a Facebook group, other parents, or your child: Do not simply forward the information! Check what facts there are about the phenomenon and whether the information seems exaggerated or realistic. Also talk to other parents about whether the message can be true.
