New
New
Year 11
AQA

The impact of fake news

I can define and explain the impact of fake news.

New
New
Year 11
AQA

The impact of fake news

I can define and explain the impact of fake news.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Fake news is untrue information or hoaxes spread through the internet or traditional media.
  2. Fake news is often used to influence opinions, create confusion or generate clicks.
  3. The internet and social media have made it much faster and easier to spread fake news.
  4. You can fact check fake news by checking sources of information, and using reliable fact checking websites.

Keywords

  • Fake news - untrue information or hoaxes spread through the internet or traditional media

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

  • Disinformation - false information that is created and shared with the intent to mislead and trick people

  • Reliable - something that is accurate, trustworthy and from a credible source that can be verified

Common misconception

Fake news is easy to spot because it’s obviously false or silly.

Fake news is often designed to look real and believable. It can mimic trusted sources, use partial truths, or appeal to emotions to trick people. It’s important to check information sources and think critically, even if a post seems convincing.


To help you plan your year 11 computer science lesson on: The impact of fake news, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Use current examples and ask learners guiding questions like, “Who wrote this?” and “Can this be verified?” to promote discussion and scepticism.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match each keyword to its definition:
Correct Answer:penetration testing,simulated cyberattack to test a system

simulated cyberattack to test a system

Correct Answer:security,protection of systems and data

protection of systems and data

Correct Answer:ethical hacker,authorised professional who tests for vulnerabilities

authorised professional who tests for vulnerabilities

Q2.
Which type of penetration test is performed with no prior knowledge of the system being tested?
Correct Answer: black box
Q3.
Which of the following is true about penetration testing?
it is always illegal
it is only done by criminals
Correct answer: it is a legal and controlled process
it never finds real issues
Q4.
Arrange the stages of a penetration test in the correct order:
1 - plan the test
2 - perform the test
3 - identify vulnerabilities
4 - report results
Q5.
What is a likely outcome if vulnerabilities are found during a penetration test?
Correct answer: they are fixed to improve security
they are ignored
the system is shut down permanently
the tester is fired
Q6.
Which of these best describes network forensics?
designing new networks
writing software
creating passwords
Correct answer: analysing network traffic to detect intrusions

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match each action to the best description:
Correct Answer:fact-checking,sharing a story after checking its accuracy

sharing a story after checking its accuracy

Correct Answer:disinformation,creating a hoax to trick people

creating a hoax to trick people

Correct Answer:misinformation,believing and sharing a rumour you think is true

believing and sharing a rumour you think is true

Q2.
Arrange these steps for fact-checking a news story:
1 - read the story
2 - check the source
3 - use a fact-checking website
4 - decide if the information is reliable
Q3.
What word describes a piece of information that can be verified and is trustworthy?
Correct Answer: reliable
Q4.
How has the internet affected the spread of fake news?
slowed it down
stopped it completely
Correct answer: made it faster and easier
made it less believable
Q5.
What is one way to help stop the spread of fake news?
share everything you read
only read headlines
avoid all news
Correct answer: fact-check stories before sharing
Q6.
Which statement best explains why fake news is not always easy to spot?
fake news is always written in a silly way
Correct answer: fake news usually looks real and can mimic trusted sources
fake news never spreads quickly
fake news is only shared by unreliable people