Today is a digital era with gigabytes of content revolving around us in different forms — may be as a video, audio, animation or text.
This gives humongous chances for mis-carriage of information, in the form of fake news.
There are basically 3 types: mis-information, dis-information and mal-information. Mis-information is false but unintentional; dis-information is false and intentional, while mal-intentional is real with a motive behind its spread.
Back in 2017, Google launched a ‘Be Internet Awesome’ program that aims to help kids be safe and confident while exploring the online world.
The major take-away of the program is:
- Share with care: Sharing only things that youʼre sure you want to share – in other words, by being careful about what you post and share online. Different people can see the same information and draw different conclusions from it. Donʼt assume that people online will see you the way you think theyʼll see you.
- Don’t fall for fake: You control whom you talk to online. Make sure the people you connect with are who they say they are!
- It’s cool to be kind: Whether standing up for others, reporting something hurtful, or ignoring something to keep it from being amplified even more, you have a variety of strategies to choose from depending on the situation. With a little kindness, anyone can make a huge difference in turning bad situations around.
- When in doubt, talk out: Most apps and services have tools for reporting and/or blocking inappropriate content, and it can help the people involved, their community, and the platforms themselves if we use those tools. Before blocking or reporting inappropriate content, it’s always wise to take a screenshot so that you have a record of the situation.