Since the launch of OpenAI tools such as ChatGPT in late 2022, teachers and learners around the world have been both amazed and concerned. The tools are infinitely useful in generating language explanations, examples, feedback, and lesson ideas. However, they are not without their challenges. 

There are concerns that students may use the tools to cheat and that they may reduce critical thinking and ideation skills. Some are worried that they could lead to mass unemployment as bots replace the need for human language instruction. 

The use of AI tools also increases the risk of misinformation spreading. In this blog post, I explore why AI poses a threat to factual information and how to help learners to develop their fact-checking and fake news detection skills. 

Why does AI increase misinformation? 

Generative AI tools are still learning how to process and compile information. They trawl open-access content on the internet to create their responses. This means they don't always have access to the truly factual content that may be behind paywalls. It also means that they may be generating meaning from advertisements, forums, blogs, and other unregulated content. So far, generative AI tools haven't learned to identify which of this information may be biased or based on opinion rather than facts. 

What else may cause fake news? 

Fake news is not a new challenge. Myths, legends, and hoaxes have been shared for centuries. One particularly famous example involves a mystery from Scotland. Photos of the legendary Loch Ness Monster were faked by Marmaduke Wetherell in 1933. Since then, there have been various other counterfeit claims to the existence of the mythical creature. In reality, it is probably just a clever way to boost tourism to the Scottish Highlands!

In 2024, Pew Research found that 54% of people from the USA got their news from social media. What is particularly concerning about this statistic is that this source of information is unregulated and, therefore, can be rife for misinformation. On social media, entertaining, shocking, or polarizing content can rapidly go viral. Influencers and people with large followings can also command alarming power over what people deem to be true and false. 

The recent release of the Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar has highlighted one of the most famous examples of this. Belle Gibson gained over 200,000 followers and duped them into believing that she was curing her terminal brain cancer with a healthy diet and clean living. She has become known as The Woman Who Fooled the World, as titled by journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano, who wrote a book unveiling her lies. She also managed to trick Apple, Google, and Penguin Random House into publishing her Whole Pantry app and book. In today's world, even some of the greatest minds can't identify fake news!

How can I avoid fake news? 

I am not entirely convinced it is possible to avoid fake news, as the story above demonstrates. Moreover, every piece of news is told from a different perspective, no matter how well researched it is. Even large-scale, respected newspapers write articles that show subtle biases in their opinions. It is therefore essential to think critically about every piece of information we encounter and read the same story from multiple sources—and teach our students how to do this too. 

How can I help learners to identify false information? 

Here are some key skills and activities to help learners to think critically about their news sources and stories and to decide what to believe. 

1. Check the source

The most important thing to check with news is who or where the information started. A news story is more likely to be reputable if it is written by an experienced journalist for a respected organization rather than a social media influencer who shares no evidence sources. 

Have students think about which news providers they would consider to be trustworthy. For example, Al Jazeera, BBC News, CNN, National Geographic, and Reuters take fact-checking very seriously. Share news articles on the same topic with them and have students identify any differences in writing styles. You can also have them identify any biases, opinions, or aspects of the article they would like to investigate further. 

2. Check website URLs

Fake news may be spread by fake websites, set up to share extreme or emotionally enticing content. It is important to check the website address. For example, the domain for an official site might end in .org, .com, or .co.uk, while a fake one might use .co or something similar.

They may also have spelling mistakes, duplicate words or letters, or use numbers: Eellii.co, ElliiESL.live, and E11ii.info could be examples. 

3. Question everything

Cynicism isn't always seen as an attractive quality, but when it comes to 21st-century news, it is essential. Approaching every story with a critical eye can help us and our learners to consider its source and validity. If something looks too good to be true or too wildly outrageous, then it probably is. Though who can really tell? We live on a pretty outrageous planet!

4. Double-check

Reading information from at least two news sources can help us and our learners to understand the world more, gain differing perspectives, and check facts. It also allows students additional language practice. It could even give them the chance to compare how the news is reported in their language and in English. As well as reading news from other sources, it is also advisable to dig a little deeper by looking at published (and peer-reviewed) research. 

5. Question images & videos

More than ever, my "suggested videos" on socials are becoming very obviously AI-generated clickbait. I suspect the algorithm may have noticed that my curious brain hovers over them a little too long. I have resisted the urge to click for fear of them entering my feed, but there is a strange fascination about snakes crawling over a polar bear or a laughing baby playing with a two-headed pig! 

Sometimes AI-generated audiovisual content is easy to spot. It tends to be fantastical in nature or the characters will have extra fingers, toes, and teeth. However, some are eerily lifelike. AI can generate realistic talking-head videos and replicate people and voices. 

There are various tools that may identify AI-generated content such as Google Reverse Image search. However, when I tried this with an image I had generated with Canva Dream Lab, all I got was that there was no source or record of this image online. When I tried again with one of my doodles and then an image of me teaching, I got the same results. I also tried AI or Not, and it told me that the same AI-generated image was "likely human." 

I'm not convinced that AI-generated audiovisual content is identifiable, but we can support our learners to at least question it. Share some obvious and less obvious artifically created videos or images with them. Have them discuss their purpose and whether the messages they convey are misleading or ethically sound. 

6. Share & discuss examples

To raise awareness of the pursuit of authenticity, a fun activity is to investigate potentially fake news with learners. You could share examples that are trending online or have students share some they've seen recently. Give them time to discuss what makes it appealing (e.g., emotional response, captivating headline, engaging images). You could also have students create their own by themselves or using AI. As an added challenge, have some students communicate real news as others develop fakes, and then see if they can spot the difference. 

7. Focus on the language

There are some linguistic features of information checking that all learners need to know. Articles that haven't been properly fact-checked may use vague or sensational language. For example: 

Modal verbs: Can, Could, May, Might 

Sensational headings: This will SHOCK you! / Everyone NEEDS this! 

Generalized sources: Experts say...  (Who exactly?) / Research shows... (What research?)

8. Ask a trusted friend (or friends)

If you are still not sure if something is worthy of belief, ask someone else for their opinion. Often other people can share new knowledge of the topic with you. Make sure it is someone who you feel will know the subject well or ask a few different people for their perspectives. This can be eye-opening in itself and can help you formulate your own opinions. It is also a great excuse to perhaps practice English in a more authentic way with others.  

Here are some other lessons and posts on the topic of misinformation, media literacy, and identifying fake news: 

Introducing Media Literacy in the English Language Classroom

Fake News (Discussion Starters lesson)

Misinformation Fills Internet after Trump Assassination Attempt

Have you encountered any fake news recently? Or have your learners been duped? How do you spot deep fakes and support your learners to think critically about the content they are consuming. We would love to know your experiences, thoughts, and ideas.