Digital Citizenship In The Age Of AI

For anyone who spends time online, it is increasingly difficult to tell the difference between facts and false information. With the rise of AI technology that can create incredibly realistic “deep fakes,” social media sites that struggle with moderation, and malicious actors who benefit from sowing chaos and confusion, even educated adults can struggle to figure out what’s real and what’s not. And with wars, elections, and crises around the world unfolding on our smartphones and laptop screens, it is more important now than ever before to make sure you’re getting accurate information. 

This isn’t just an American issue. Recently, the United Kingdom saw days of violent protests targeting Muslim and immigrant communities after false information spread online that suggested a stabbing at a children’s dance class was committed by someone from those communities. In the aftermath of those riots, the British education secretary announced that public schools will make it a priority to give students the critical-thinking skills they need to identify online misinformation. 

“It’s more important now than ever that we give young people the knowledge and skills to be able to challenge what they see online,” the education secretary said. 

Youth Speak Out International’s Today’s Digital Citizens program aims to empower students with these skills and give them the tools to have these conversations at home and in their communities. It can be difficult to teach kids when adults don’t always know what’s real and what’s not; but the first step is acknowledging that this misinformation exists and explaining to students why it matters. Once students are on alert, encouraging conversations at home helps keep everyone more informed and allows families and friends to compare what they’re hearing from different sources and research together to find the right answer. 

Do you have additional ideas for how to educate students on misinformation? Feel free to share with us on social media using the #TodaysDigitalCitizens. 

Thank you to Prime Time Palm Beach County for supporting our organization and allowing us to do this important work in schools across PBC.