Teach Secondary Issue 14.3

For all its advantages (and they are numerous), social media represents an enormous threat – particularly to tweens and teens. For boys, that threat mostly takes the form of radicalisation. Many of the young men who have escaped what they call the ‘red pill pipeline’ report feeling that algorithms were actively trying to convert them to a far-right ideology by promoting hatred of women and minoritised groups. For girls, the harms tend to be more internal. They’re more likely to encounter pro-suicide, self-harm and eating disorder content, increasing the likelihood of them developing some form of mental illness. Structural change We all had such high hopes for the Online Harms Bill. Yet, as it made its way through parliament, each reading seemed to further water down its measures for tackling dangerous disinformation and harmful content. As I type, there are rumours swirling that the government is considering diluting its commitments once again – this time, at the behest of Trump andMusk, in a bid to avoid tariffs. Structural change will be crucial if we’re to restore social media to what it always should have been – a place for connecting with others, indulging in creative pursuits and accessing information. In the meantime, however, there are young people out there in cyberspace who need our help if they’re to have any hope of navigating that world unscathed. Helping them to develop skills of scientific literacy will be paramount – with science lessons being the obvious place to do this. Learning how to differentiate between correlation and causation already falls within the curriculum– teachers could emphasise how this applies to influencers who often cite dubious ‘studies’ while using charts and graphs to illustrate their points. In history, modules that reference propaganda could be extended to acknowledge that the practice is still very much with us in the present day. In English literature, debates around whether any specific character can have a ‘correct’ take on events could include finding examples of online scandals where there are vast differences in perspective. Theories abound Last month, I featured in an episode of the reality TV show At Home With Katherine Ryan . The show’s titular star, comedian Katherine Ryan, feared that her 15-year-old daughter Violet was becoming addicted to her phone, and so bought her to a workshop I hosted for teens. As part of the session, I created an activity that a teacher could easily replicate as part of a PHSE lesson or at form time. I gave them a topic about which conspiracy theories abound – in this case, the 1969Moon Landing – and divided them into three groups. Group 1 had to report back what they had previously learned at school on the subject. Group 2 had to research it there and then using only using social media to help them, while Group 3 had to research it with the aid of only verified sources (such as the Institute of Physics and the Royal Museum). The groups then reported back to each other on what they’d found out, and we reflected together on the vast differences between the ‘facts’ that we encounter in different information environments. Terrifying times Outside of specific activities, consider displaying a classroom poster that points students in the direction of reliable fact-checking websites (such as one of my favourites, fullfact.org ). They can also check the origin and veracity of various news stories by visiting Reuters. For claims made online about health, the NHS website remains a good source of verified information, along with accounts run by genuine experts dedicated to debunking nonsense about nutrition (see @pixienutrition – Pixie Turner – on Insta), vaccinations (@dr_andrealove, X) and what does and doesn’t cause cancer (@drg1985, X). We live in terrifying times. Educators have a key part to play in tackling the issue of disinformation, and all the harm, hatred, violence and polarisation it can give rise to. With social media spaces having degenerated into incubators for hate and misinformation, it’s more important than ever that schools show students how to spot and resist harmful online messaging Natasha Devon Natasha Devon is a writer, broadcaster and campaigner on issues relating to education and mental health; to find out more, visit natashadevon.com or follow @_NatashaDevon – Natasha features in series 2, episode 2 of At Home With Katherine Ryan, which is available to stream now on demand via u.co.uk and the U app for smart TVs Image courtesy of Adam Lawrence/UKTV 15 teachwire.net/secondary S C H O O L O F T H O U G H T