So now what?
After all of that, it's time to encourage students to take action. Recognizing fake news is one thing, but news literacy also means acting on the information in a positive way.
Let your students know what options exist for them to fight back and turn the tide against all of the negativity. Here are a few things they can do:
- Write or email letters to the editor or station manager.
- Counteract questionable content on social media by posting the truth from one of the fact-checking sites. Do not retweet, share, or repost such material.
- Stand up for real journalism and real journalists—remember those professionally trained to do the work are those who seek the truth and report it (today, it seems some of our fellow citizens need to be reminded of that).
- Engage in civil conversations with peers and adults alike and use the facts as your guide. This includes face-to-face conversations at the family reunion, across the Thanksgiving dinner table, on the bus, or in the classroom, as well as conversation threads on social media.
- Keep up with the news, so you will know what's going on in the world. Local news is especially important—the seeds of change usually start out at the local level. And good journalism just doesn't happen at the major news outlets or only in the big cities—your local city newspaper and television or radio station are good sources for news, as are your school and local college or university media outlets.
- Lead by example. Don't post, email, tweet, or discuss questionable content (except to refute it), and encourage friends, family members, and classmates to avoid spreading such material.
And now that you've become an informed citizen...
- Register to vote, and exercise your right to do so in every election, not just the "major" ones.
