Social media platforms make it all too easy for users to ‘Like,’ ‘Share,’ ‘Tweet,’ or otherwise pass along misinformation or disinformation without intentionally becoming part of the counterknowledge problem. Anyone who has one or more social media accounts needs to take the time to verify that articles, memes, photographs, and anything else they pass along to their friends are based in fact. Studies say that students are actually better at identifying incorrect information than adults are, but they still do make mistakes.

In this activity, students are introduced to tips for verifying items that appear in social media feeds and other media to ensure they are not passing along misinformation/disinformation.

The Assessing Words Instructional Activities are continually reviewed. If you use this activity, please complete a Feedback Form afterward.