Educating Seniors on Knowing what’s real vs. what’s fake Online
Why does this matter?
58% of people older than 65 say that technology has been a positive addition to their daily lives.
Senior Facebook users posted 7 times more fake news than younger adults.
Facebook users that have posted or shared fake news articles posted articles that they themselves agreed with.
50% of older adults 65 and older and 40% of those ages 50-64 feel they need someone to assist them in learning and using a new technology device
people who are more tech-savvy share a larger number of links and are more media-savvy, and are shown to be able to distinguish what is real from what is fake online.
The more fake news is spread, the more people are going to believe it, and the more it’s going to impact their decisions
How Can you Teach Seniors to be Media Literate?
Media literacy encompasses the practices that allow people to access, critically evaluate, and create or manipulate media.
Explain that there is a big difference between what is real and what is fake. Just because someone agrees with a piece of news doesn’t make that story true.
Show them the stats on the page above so they see that this is a real issue that needs to be dealt with.
Help them understand what a good news source is and what is not with the C.R.A.P. (Credible, Reliable, Authority, and Purpose) checklist that is attached at the back of this booklet.
Show them the example of the fake picture that we have in the back of the booklet and show them that it’s not accurate.
Have them ask themselves why they think certain articles are true… do they believe the article is true because they know this source is credible or do they believe the article is true because it strongly agrees with their views?
How Else can you Help?
Translate the technological terms into words that they’ll be able to understand.
Be patient. They are not going to understand everything at first, they are new to this so take your time and be understanding.
Many members of older generations see technology as the enemy. In response to this show them how beneficial technology can be to their lives and how it can expand their world for the better and not for the worse.
Have them ask these three questions before believing the information being given… Who is behind the information, what’s the evidence, and what do other sources say?
If your grandparent(s) say, “how do I know that CNN isn’t full of lies?”, then you can say “If you use the C.R.A.P checklist, you will see that CNN is a reliable source.”
If your grandparent(s) say, “My friends shared this on Facebook, so it must be true,” Then you can have them try and answer the three questions above.
If your grandparent(s) believe everything they see just because it aligns with their point of view (republican/democrat), then they need to use the C.R.A.P. checklist and the three questions to determine if the source(s) are credible.
Currency
How old is the information?
Is it a document or article that covers science, technology, or current events?
- If so, it needs to be as current as possible.
- If it’s a historical document, it can be decades old & still relevant.
Yes or No
Is it current enough for you what you need to know?
Yes or No
When was it published? When was this site last updated? What date(s) can you find?
Reliability
Is this information accurate? What is the origin of the information?
Is this a school or a government organization? (.edu or .gov)
Yes or No
Is the information from a known and trusted organization?
Yes or No
Who is sponsoring this publication (see About link)?
Why do you trust this source (author of piece and website)?
Explain specifically.
Authority
Who is behind the information?
Is there a specific author (or authors) listed who wrote the information?
Yes or No
Is the author’s email address, contact information, included?
Yes or No
Is there a Bibliography or Resources list citing the website sources used?
Yes or No
Do the links in the piece go to other reliable sources of information? Explain.
What knowledge or skill does this author(s) have in the topic area?
Purpose What is the motive of the site?
Does the piece seek to inform & present various sides of an argument/issue?
Yes or No
Is the information using objective, neutral language (not emotionally “charged” or biased, one-sided opinion)?
Yes or No
Why did the author(s) write this piece? How do you know?
This is an example of fake news being spread...
Fake picture
Real picture
As you can see the photo on top is fake and the photo on the bottom is real. This is a big deal because this photo that was spread was not real and people were believing it. Before taking any pictures off the internet make sure to check that the source is credible by clicking the link and using the C.R.A.P. checklist.
Links to articles for more information
“Older People Shared Fake News on Facebook More Than Others in 2016 Race, Study Says”
“What To Do If The Older People In Your Life Are Sharing False Or Extreme Content”
“People older than 65 share the most fake news, a new study finds”
“Teaching Older Americans To Identify Fake News Online”
“Use the steps and questions below to avoid being manipulated, fooled or exploited by viral rumors, misleading memes, impostor news sites and fake images.”
Resources
Vogels, Emily A. “Millennials Stand out for Their Technology Use, but Older Generations Also Embrace Digital Life.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 9 Sept. 2019, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/09/09/us-generations-technology-use/.
Chokshi, Niraj. “Older People Shared Fake News on Facebook More Than Others in 2016 Race, Study Says.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Jan. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/01/10/us/politics/facebook-fake-news-2016-election.html.Rugile. “30 Fake Viral Photos People Believed Were Real.” Bored Panda, Bored Panda, 11 Oct. 2019, www.boredpanda.com/fake-news-photos-viral-photoshop/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic.
Anderson, Monica, and Andrew Perrin. Tech Adoption Climbs Among Older Americans. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, 17 May 2017, www.pewresearch.org/internet/2017/05/17/tech-adoption-climbs-among-older-adults/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2019.
Frank, David. “Tech Training Helps Older Americans Socialize.” AARP, 24 July 2018, www.aarp.org/home-family/personal-technology/info-2018/technology-training-for-older-adults.html. Accessed 7 Nov. 2019.
70% Of Seniors Are Now Online and Using Technology | World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/07/no-longer-just-for-the-young-70-of-seniors-are-now-online/. Accessed 14 Nov. 2019
Silverman, Craig. How To Talk To Boomers And Other Older People In Your Life About Fake News. BuzzFeed News, 23 July 2019, www.buzzfeednews.com/article/craigsilverman/young-people-worry-about-older-people-sharing-fake-news. Accessed 6 Nov. 2019.
Hern, Alex. “Older People More Likely to Share Fake News on Facebook, Study Finds.” The Guardian, www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jan/10/older-people-more-likely-to-share-fake-news-on-facebook. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.