After failed attempts to topple the Sri Lankan government, a rebel group has come to power through peaceful means, with the help of a youth movement. Youth took to the streets in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 18 March 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) This article was...
After massive floods in Valencia, fake news messages on the internet seemed targeted to intensify chaos and undermine trust in the authorities. A mud-covered car in a garage destroyed by floods in Valencia, Spain in November 2024. (Credit: Eline van Nes) This article...
Trump faked his assassination attempt. Princess Di wasn’t killed in an accident. The moon landing never happened. Why do people believe disproven ideas? Activists demonstrate against 4G/5G cell towers in Los Angeles, California, 2 May 2020. (AP Photo/Damian...
Are the Houthis in Yemen “Iran-backed” or “Iran-aligned”? Are Hezbollah members “terrorists” or “liberators”? Labels can make a big difference. A sheet of sticker labels. (Illustration by News Decoder) From 24 to 31 October, the world marks Global Media and...
Can you spot a deep fake and separate fact from opinion? How do you know what you know? Do you understand how algorithms work? We’ll help you sort it out. A feather duster over the word media. (Illustration by News Decoder) From 24 to 31 October, the world marks...
In Finland, teaching media literacy in schools is a way to stave off the disinformation invasion that looms on its border. The design on the cover of “The ABC Book of Media Literacy.” (News Media Finland) From 24 to 31 October, the world marks Global Media...
We worry about a future where it is too hot or too cold and extreme environmental events become the norm. That affects our mental health now. Beth Grant hikes on a trail in Awenda Provincial Park, Ontario. Grant is a sustainability researcher in Waterloo, Canada, who...
Russia didn’t attend the 75th birthday of the Geneva Conventions. Are the treaties that govern how nations conduct war still relevant in today’s chaotic world? Members of the UN Security Council mark the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Geneva...
Use this piece to explore international relations, geopolitics, the politics and history of conflict. Last month marked the 75th Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions. Russia didn’t attend. Political Scientist Daniel Warner decodes whether the treaties that govern how nations conduct war are still relevant in today’s chaotic world.
Exercise: Debate. Split students into groups. In each group, divide students into two teams. One will defend the Geneva Conventions, the other is against the conventions. In preparation, watch this video and share the ICRC website. Each team undertakes research to build an argument for their case. Ask students to debate the issue. After the debate, discuss the difficulties teams had in supporting their arguments.
Why do so many people believe ridiculous things? Maybe because they read these things over and over. Can we stop the spread of dangerous misinformation? A man in a bubble hears repeatedly that climate change is a hoax. (Illustration by News Decoder) Journalism and...
Marcy Burstiner explores the dangers of repetition in the spread of misinformation and why if you repeat something untrue enough times and people just might start to believe it. Use this exercise to investigate how information is created and spread, to tackle fake news and rumor and to develop research skills, critical thinking and media literacy around news consumption.
Exercise: Choose a piece of news or advertising that you know to be inflated, untrue or explore an urban myth. Look into how this news became popular belief. Why did it gain popularity? What forces might be behind the spread of this information? Who does the narrative benefit? To start, you could work through a case study from this website as a class. Students then choose their piece of news to prove true or debunk as myth.
Strong governments in Kenya and Uganda are grappling with a new problem: angry, organized young people demanding change. A Kenyan activist scuffles with plain clothes police officers during a protest against the finance bill in Nairobi, Kenya 6 June 2023. (AP...
Governments in Kenya and Uganda are grappling with a new problem: angry, organized young people demanding change. Correspondent Enock Wanderema reports on social media as the vessel for East African youth to mobilise and demand change. His article deal with the themes of politics, youth activism, social issues and demographics.
Exercise: Take the case of Uganda and explore it further. Look into Uganda’s demographics, its political leadership, job opportunities and its economy. Compile a short report on why Uganda youth are now mobilizing and what issues are top of the agenda. Are recent protests bringing about change? How? Students can then choose a country in the Global South that is experiencing social change. Compare the cases.