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With the advent of the internet and social media came the rise of false information, which allowed information to spread in seconds but also allowed fake news to spread like wildfire.
London, UK — Schools in England can teach children on Sunday how to identify extremism and online content that spreads “corrupt conspiracy theories” under changes to the national curriculum, the government said.
Education Minister Bridget Phillipson said she was reviewing the primary and secondary school curriculum to introduce critical thinking across a number of subjects.
More than a dozen towns and cities across the UK have been plunged into chaos in recent days following a knife attack in Southport, with officials saying the chaos was sparked by online misinformation and far-right agitators.
The stabbing, which killed three children, was allegedly carried out by British-born Axel Rudakubana, who was only 17 at the time. Police have not revealed a suspected motive for the attack but have said it is not being treated as terrorism.
Immediately after the tragedy, speculation emerged online, falsely claiming that Ruda Kubana was a Muslim immigrant.
“It is more important now than ever that we equip young people with the knowledge and skills to challenge what they see online,” Phillipson told The Sunday Telegraph.
“That’s why our curriculum review will set out plans to embed key skills across the curriculum to help our children defend against the disinformation, fake news and corrupt conspiracy theories that abound on social media.”
Under the envisioned changes, students in English classes would analyze newspaper articles to help spot fabricated clickbait, while computer classes would include analyzing statistics in context.
However, the review will not report its findings and recommendations until next year, meaning the reforms will not come into effect until the academic year starting in September 2025, The Daily Telegraph reported.
The moves will be coupled with tighter regulation of social media sites and online content, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying immediate action would be taken on Friday.
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