Helping children identify misinformation, fake news, and conspiracy theories online, and developing the critical thinking skills to question what they read.
Misinformation is a child's ability to recognise false, misleading, or manipulated information online and to judge whether a source can be trusted.
Misinformation — false or misleading information spread regardless of intent — is widespread online. Disinformation is misinformation spread deliberately to deceive. Both can reach children through social media, messaging apps, YouTube videos, and websites designed to look credible. Conspiracy theories, health misinformation, and politically motivated fake news can all influence how children think about the world. A lack of media literacy skills makes young people particularly susceptible.
Misinformation spreads quickly because it is often emotionally compelling, confirms existing beliefs, or comes from a trusted-seeming source. Algorithms on social media platforms amplify content that generates strong reactions, which can mean that false or extreme content reaches more people than accurate reporting. Children may encounter misinformation from friends, family members, or influencers they trust, making it harder to question. Conspiracy theories often contain a kernel of real information or genuine grievance, which can make them more persuasive.
In your child's behaviour
On their device
Teach the SIFT method
Introduce your child to the SIFT method for evaluating online information: Stop (pause before sharing), Investigate the source (who published this and why?), Find better coverage (check whether other credible sources report the same thing), and Trace claims to their origin. Practise using SIFT together on stories they share with you.
Discuss how algorithms shape what we see
Explain to your child that the content they see online is not random — it is selected by algorithms based on what keeps them engaged. This means they may be shown more of whatever they have reacted to, including false information. Understanding this helps them approach their feed with a more critical eye.
Model good information habits
When you share information with your child, demonstrate checking sources. Show them how to use fact-checking sites such as Full Fact (fullfact.org) and how to identify a credible news outlet. Normalise saying 'I'm not sure — let's check that' rather than accepting claims at face value.
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This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.
Myth: If something looks professionally made or highly convincing, it must be true.
Fact: The UK Safer Internet Centre's advice on fake news makes this point directly: it is easy to create a story that looks realistic without it being true. Its recommended checks focus on who posted something and why, not on how polished or convincing it looks, because production quality says nothing about accuracy.
Myth: A photo or video is solid proof - if you can see it, it must have happened exactly as shown.
Fact: Full Fact's fact-checking work finds that the most common way images and videos mislead is not invention but real footage taken out of context, edited, or wrongly captioned, alongside a growing share of AI-generated or manipulated content. The UK Safer Internet Centre's guidance advises checking whether the images used in a story are genuinely from that story and doing a reverse-image search on anything doubtful, since seeing something is not the same as it being accurately represented.
Myth: Children are digital natives, so they can obviously tell fake news from real news without being taught.
Fact: Ofcom's research into children's media use has repeatedly found that feeling confident about spotting fake or misleading content online does not reliably translate into being able to identify it correctly when tested. National Literacy Trust research reaches a similar conclusion: many children do not yet have the critical literacy skills to reliably judge whether a news story is genuine, which is exactly why these skills need to be taught rather than assumed.
At this age children are usually watching content together with you or on family devices, so use that closeness to model good habits rather than expecting them to fact-check alone. Watch videos and posts with them and ask simple questions out loud, such as who made this and how would they know, so questioning becomes a normal habit rather than a lecture. Keep corrections calm and curious rather than telling them they were foolish to believe something, since misinformation is designed to be convincing at any age.
As your child starts using messaging apps and social platforms more independently, involve them directly in checking things rather than doing it for them. When a claim appears in a group chat or on their feed, ask them to find where else it is being reported before believing or forwarding it, and talk through what a credible source looks like compared with an anonymous account. This is also a good age to explain, in simple terms, that their feed shows them more of whatever they react to, which is not the same as showing them what is true.
Teenagers at this age can encounter more emotionally charged and politically motivated content, including conspiracy theories that mix a real grievance with false claims, which makes them harder to dismiss outright. Encourage them to use independent fact-checking sites such as Full Fact before accepting a claim, rather than trusting it simply because a friend or a convincing-looking video shared it. It is also worth discussing that sharing something publicly, even a repost, can affect how others see them, so it is worth being sure before hitting share.
By this age your young person may be forming their own political and social views partly through what they see online, and sharing content under their own name in a way that can affect their reputation or relationships. Treat media literacy as an ongoing adult skill rather than something they should already have mastered, and keep discussing how to verify a claim, including checking a story's origin and whether other credible outlets report the same thing, before accepting or repeating it. Encourage them to notice when a topic makes them feel strong emotion, since that is precisely the kind of content algorithms and bad actors rely on to spread further.
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