Fake News and Thought Germs:
A news literacy and online safety campaign by The Wildcat
Published June 1, 2024
Embedded Files
By Taha’a Kahele, Editor in Chief,
and David Siakov, Opinion Editor
Social media: is it good or is it bad? Can we really trust today's media? Can we really trust the news? Here at Konawaena, we have a glimpse into the students’ and teachers' trust and faith in the media. Cyberbullying and online fraud have become more prevalent issues than in previous eras while misinformation continues to plague the minds of the public. Without taking proper precautions, it is possible that consumers may unknowingly become victims of thought germs.
Thought germs are pieces of information that rapidly spread through the minds of many people. Carmine Taetuna-Fautanu shared his firsthand experience with a thought germ: “...A couple [of] years ago... there was one person who told a couple [of] people that this boy in our school died and next thing you know... it went all around the whole school.” He continued, “people were even posting about him saying that he died, and it turned out to be all fake because I called him, and he answered my phone.” It doesn’t take much imagination to realize the harmful implications of certain thought germs spinning out of control.
The heavy effects of cyberbullying must not be underestimated. Konawaena High School student and pageant contestant Tanalei Rivera shared her experience, explaining that the negativity doesn’t stay online. “I started not feeling confident in my own skin and I was constantly insecure,” she stated. Cyberbullying can be crippling for a victim, but Tanalei went further noting that perpetrators may end up regretting their behavior. “...Say later down the line the cyberbully is trying to get a job but the boss saw them bullying someone. Digital footprint is a real thing, and it follows you wherever you go,” she finished emphatically.
Online media literacy and protection is key to defend yourself from thought germs and other malicious social media activity. Ms. Hernadez, a social media connoisseur and teacher here at Konawaena gives us her insight on her ways of online social media protection.
Hernandez engages with the platforms to get her daily news information. Some of the other sources she frequently uses are NPR (National Public Radio) as well as the local newspapers. At one point, Hernadez's Instagram account was hacked causing frustration, urging her to recover her account. According to her, the account was hacked by a link she clicked on that was sent from a former students’ account which was also hacked.
Fact checking is one of the main methods that can be used to help verify a story and help defend against media illiteracy. Fact checking is a process that helps to verify or confirm information that is not from a credible resource. Some popular tools for fact checking include Google News Initiative and FactCheck.org. By using one of these tools, you as a media consumer will contribute to safeguarding media’s literacy and creating a haven for credible, reliable and truthful information. Stop the spread of misinformation and create a fact checking nation instead.
Due to the open nature of the internet, there is a high chance to come across thought germs and misinformation. So, what steps can individuals take to protect themselves from malicious activity? “I wish individuals were more critical of what they see on (social media), to question things, and (to) not take one point of view as the only correct answer,” Karina Hernadez lamented. Taetuna-Fautanu said, “If anything, do your own research. Read the feedback, (the) feedback on the apps is very important.” Staying safe on the internet while filtering out inaccurate information and rumors can sometimes appear complicated but often, taking a step back and investigating can be enough to prevent needless grief.
Poster: Online safety and news literacy public information campaign
Fake News and Thought Germs_ Online safety and news literacy campaign _ The Wildcat.pdfSlideshow: Online safety and news literacy public information campaign by The Wildcat
Fake News and Thought Germs_ Online safety and news literacy campaign _ The Wildcat.pdfSlideshow: Online safety and news literacy public information campaign by The Wildcat
Fake News and Thought Germs_ Online safety and news literacy campaign _ The Wildcat.pdfSlideshow: Online safety and news literacy public information campaign by The Wildcat
Page updated
Report abuse