2023/06/29 by Yvonne Skipper, Daniel Jolley, Joseph Reddington
Social Sciences · #Child Development and Digital Technology #Misinformation and Its Impacts #Social Media and Politics
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/bjdp.12456
openalex publication_date 2023/06/29 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
As misinformation is one of the top risks facing the world today, it is vital to ensure that young people have the confidence and skills to recognize fake news. Therefore, we used co-creation to develop an intervention (called 'Project Real') and tested its efficacy in a proof-of-concept study. One hundred and twenty-six pupils aged 11-13 completed questionnaires before and after the intervention that measured confidence and ability to recognize fake news and the number of checks they would make before sharing news. Twenty-seven pupils and three teachers participated in follow-up discussions to evaluate Project Real. Quantitative data indicated that Project Real increased participants' confidence in recognizing fake news and the number of checks they intended to make before sharing news. However, there was no change in their ability to recognize fake news. Qualitative data indicated that participants felt that they had improved their skills and confidence in recognizing fake news, supporting the quantitative data.