Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Holborow and welcome to Computing.

I'm so pleased that you've decided to join me for the lesson today.

In today's lesson, we're going to be looking at what the term fake news means and the impact that fake news can have.

Welcome to today's lesson from the unit, Cyber Threats and Security.

This lesson is called The Impact of Fake News, and by the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to define and explain the impact of fake news.

Shall we make a start? We will be exploring these keywords throughout today's lesson: Fake news.

Fake news: Untrue information or hoaxes spread through the internet or traditional media.

Misinformation.

Misinformation: False or inaccurate information that is shared without the intent to trick people.

Disinformation.

Disinformation: False information that is created and shared with the intent to mislead or trick people.

Reliable.

Reliable: Something that is accurate, trustworthy, and from a credible source that can be verified.

Look out for these key words throughout today's lesson.

Today's lesson is broken down into two parts.

We'll start by defining fake news and then we'll move on to explain the impact of fake news.

Let's make a start by defining fake news.

Which of these headlines is fake? So the first one says, "Dubai ruler organised kidnapping of his children, UK court rules." The second one says, "Lottery winner arrested for dumping 200,000 pounds of manure on ex boss's lawn." Which one do you think is fake? Maybe pause the video whilst you have a think.

Did you spot it? So the news story about the lottery winner was fake.

The real news article was about the Dubai ruler, but how could we tell? Andeep says, "I've heard some friends talk about fake news, but I don't know exactly what it is." Fake news is untrue information or hoaxes spread through the internet or traditional media such as newspapers.

Fake news can be made to look like real news, whether it is found on the internet, on websites and social media or printed traditionally.

Fake news is not based on facts.

Fake news is not new and has been around for thousands of years.

Before the internet, people spread false stories through word of mouth and written media, such as newspapers and leaflets.

In ancient Rome, politicians used false rumours to damage their rivals.

So here we have Julius Caesar saying, "Mark Anthony is a degenerate, unfit for Roman office, and does not uphold Roman values." During the Middle Ages, false stories and propaganda were common in wars and politics.

"You can't trust King Richard- he had his nephew's kidnapped and they have disappeared." In the 19th century, sensational and exaggerated stories appeared in newspapers to attract readers.

"Destruction of the warship Maine was the work of an enemy." This type of fake news was often called yellow journalism.

In modern times, the internet and social media have made it much faster and easier to spread fake news.

Fake news can reach thousands or even millions of people within minutes before it is corrected or fact checked.

Fake news can be found in many different formats and locations.

You may find it on social media platforms, messaging apps, websites, and traditional printed material.

Not all fake news is created for the same reason.

Some fake news is shared by accident, while some is created and designed to trick or manipulate people.

Fake news is made from either misinformation or disinformation.

What's the difference between the two? The difference between misinformation and disinformation is down to the intent behind the creation and sharing of the information.

Misinformation is false or inaccurate information that is shared without the intent to trick people.

The person spreading the information believes it's true, but it is actually wrong.

What are some examples of misinformation? Maybe pause the video whilst you have a think.

Ah, Aisha's got an example.

"A friend shares a fake news article about a celebrity's death, thinking it's real." Jun has another example.

"Someone posts an incorrect exam date by accident." Sam says, "A family member shares a health tip on a messaging app that turns out to be false." Even though misinformation is not meant to deceive people, it can still confuse people, spread very quickly and lead to people making bad decisions.

Disinformation is fake information that is created and shared with the intent to mislead and trick people.

The person or group of people sharing the information know it is false and they do so to try and manipulate others.

Some examples of disinformation are a fake news website that makes up political scandal to hurt a candidate.

A person who posts fake stories to cause arguments online.

A company that spreads lies online about a rival brand.

Disinformation is more dangerous than misinformation because it is designed to manipulate and trick people.

Disinformation can make people stop trusting the news, experts or even science.

When people don't know what to believe, it becomes easier to manipulate society.

Fake news can take on many forms, but there are some key features that may help you to identify it.

Fake news may use sensational headlines such as "Shocking truth exposed," use all capitals or dramatic emojis, have no clear source, author or evidence, often encourage you to share now.

If you suspect you have come across fake news, you can check sources of information and use fact checking websites.

Always look for trusted news outlets, expert opinions and evidence before believing or sharing a story.

Time to check your understanding.

True or false? All fake news is spread on purpose to trick and confuse people.

Pause the video whilst you have a think.

Did you select false? Well done.

Some fake news is shared by accident, while some is created and designed to trick or manipulate people.

What type of information is created and shared with the intent to mislead or trick people? Is it A, disinformation, B, misinformation, or C, reliable information? Pause the video whilst you have a think about your answer.

Did you select A, disinformation? Well done.

Disinformation is created and shared with the intent to mislead or trick people.

Okay, we're now moving on to the first task of today's lesson.

For part one, I'd like you to write two to three sentences to describe fake news.

For part two, I'd like you to explain the difference between misinformation and disinformation.

And then for part three, I'd like you to suggest two to three features that might be a sign of fake news.

Pause the video whilst you complete the tasks.

How did you get on with the tasks? I'm sure you did a great job.

Let's have a look through some sample answers together.

For part one, you were asked to write two to three sentences to describe fake news.

Fake news is false or misleading information that is presented as real news.

It can be spread accidentally or on purpose, and is often designed to grab attention, manipulate people, or cause confusion.

Fake news can appear in lots of places, such as websites, social media posts, and messaging apps.

For part two, you were asked to explain the difference between misinformation and disinformation.

Misinformation is false or inaccurate information that is shared by mistake and is not intended to mislead anyone.

Disinformation is false information that is created and shared on purpose to trick, mislead, or manipulate people.

The key difference between misinformation and disinformation is the intent behind the information.

For part three, you were asked to suggest two to three features that might be a sign of fake news.

Fake news can be hard to spot, but it may sometimes use sensational headlines, and will use capital letters.

For example, "YOU WILL NEVER BELEIVE THE TRUTH." Fake news stories or information may have no clear source, author or evidence, and they often encourage a reader to share now.

Okay, so we've defined fake news.

Let's now move on to explain the impact of fake news.

Jun has a question.

"Why do people make and spread fake news?" That's a really good question, Jun.

Maybe pause the video here whilst you think of some reasons.

There are many reasons why people create fake news.

It could be to make money from ads and traffic or to get attention to go viral.

Fake news may also be used to spread a political or social message.

The impact of fake news can be serious and wide-ranging.

It may affect individuals, societies, and even national stability.

It may cause confusion, panic and fear, undermine democracy, create social division, damage economies, and erode trust in news.

Let's have a look at each of these in a bit more detail.

Fake news causes confusion because it spreads false information that makes it harder for people to know what's true and what's not.

Aisha says, "It can lead to misunderstandings, wrong decisions and mistrust in reliable sources." Fake news creates fear and panic by spreading false or exaggerated stories, especially about health, safety, or emergencies.

Sam says, "When people believe these stories, they may react emotionally, make rushed decisions or ignore official advice." Fake news can damage democracy by spreading false information that misleads voters and influences elections unfairly.

It can spread lies about candidates or voting rules.

It can also reduce trust in political systems, leaders, and the media, making it harder for people to make informed decisions.

Fake news can be used to cause social division by spreading lies or exaggerations about different groups of people.

It can increase tension, encourage hate, and make communities more divided and less trusting of one another.

Fake news may damage businesses and the economy by spreading false claims that harm a company's reputation or cause people to stop buying their products.

It can also affect stock prices and lead to financial losses for companies and investors.

Fake news erodes trust in news by making people unsure about what sources they can believe.

When false stories spread widely, it becomes harder to tell real news from fake, leading people to doubt even reliable journalists, media outlets or scientists.

Fake news is a global problem that affects countries, communities, and individuals across the world.

It can influence international events, cause misunderstandings between nations and make it harder to fight global issues like pandemics or climate change.

Time to check your understanding.

Let's have a look at this true or false statement.

"Fake news is often used to spread political or social messages." Is this true or false? Pause the video whilst you have a think.

Did you select true? Well done.

Here's another one.

"Businesses, the economy and stock prices are not affected or damaged by fake news." Is that true or false? Pause the video whilst you have a think.

Did you select false? Well done.

Fake news may damage businesses, the economy and stock prices by spreading false claims that harm a company's reputation or cause people to stop buying their products.

Okay, we've come to our second task of today's lesson, Task B.

You work as a content creator for a global charity whose mission is to raise awareness of fake news and the impact it can have.

They have asked you to write some content for a section of a webpage that highlights the impact fake news can have.

For part one, write some content for the website that includes explanations of how fake news can impact both individuals and communities.

Pause the video whilst you complete the task.

How did you get on with the task? Did you manage to write some content? Well done.

Here's a sample answer.

"Fake news can have serious effects on both individuals and communities.

For individuals, it can lead to confusion, fear, and poor decision making.

For example, someone might avoid important medical treatment or believe harmful rumours about a person or group.

It could even make someone vote for different people in an election.

On a wider scale, fake news can divide communities by spreading misinformation that creates distrust, tension, or even hatred between different groups.

It can also weaken trust in reliable news sources, which can make it harder for people to stay informed and make good choices.

By raising awareness, we can help people think critically and protect themselves and others from the harm fake news can cause." If you want to pause your video here and go back and add any detail to your answer, you can do that now.

Okay.

We've come to the end of today's lesson, The Impact of Fake News, and you've done a great job, so well done.

Let's summarise what we've learned together during today's lesson.

Fake news is untrue information or hoaxes spread through the internet or traditional media.

Disinformation is false information that is created and shared with the intent to mislead and trick people as fake news.

Misinformation is false or inaccurate information that is shared without the intent to trick people.

The impact of fake news can be serious, wide ranging and may affect individuals, societies, and even national stability.

I hope you've enjoyed today's lesson, and I hope you'll join me again soon.

Bye.