Children to be taught how to spot extremist content and fake news online
www.theguardian.com
Education secretary launches review of curriculum in primary and secondary schools in England aimed at teaching critical thinking

Children will be taught how to spot extremist content and misinformation online under planned changes to the school curriculum, the education secretary said.

Bridget Phillipson said she was launching a review of the curriculum in primary and secondary schools to embed critical thinking across multiple subjects and arm children against “putrid conspiracy theories”.

One example may include pupils analysing newspaper articles in English lessons in a way that would help differentiate fabricated stories from true reporting.

In computer lessons, they could be taught how to spot fake news websites by their design, and maths lessons may include analysing statistics in context.

  • rambling_lunatic@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    164·
    3 months ago

    I have mixed feelings. The UK has an incredibly broad definition of extremism. Socialism and antifascism are considered extremist ideologies.

    The justification is to stop people like the ones doing pogroms rn, but giving the state power will always be a double-edged sword, one where the edge that swings left is sharper.

    • JustARaccoon@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      3 months ago

      Idk critical thinking skills might be good as long as it’s not politically backed to single out a specific ideology or propaganda source.

      • rambling_lunatic@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        4·
        3 months ago

        I don’t know about you, but I have a sinking feeling that a country organized on liberal principles will integrate liberalism into its education.

        • yamanii@lemmy.worldEnglish
          4·
          3 months ago

          This already happens, most people that become socialists only do it by university age, I still think teaching kids to identify fake news is a good thing, maybe they radicalize even earlier thanks to that.

          • rambling_lunatic@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            3·
            3 months ago

            I know it already happens. I’m worried it will intensify.

            I myself became a socialist late into middle school, but I recognize that I’m an edge case.

    • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      33·
      3 months ago

      giving the state power will always be a double-edged sword, one where the edge that swings left is sharper…

      Uhh, beg pardon? How so?

      • jorp@lemmy.worldEnglish
        21·
        3 months ago

        Capitalist economies accumulate wealth and power into the hands of capitalists. Capitalists are not threatened by fascism, they’re threatened by socialism. Therefore, capitalists will always attack the left more strongly than the right, and they wield more power than the working class in a liberal society.