Tag Archives: misinformation

Have you ever believed something and then found out it wasn’t true? It happens to all of us, even when we have the best intentions! In fact, while curiosity about something often leads us to learning, it can also expose us to misinformation and unreliable sources that may lead us into conspiratorial thinking. This is increasingly true in our current digital environment, where innocuously clicking on an interesting video or link can lead to recommendations that draw users into an…

In February 2019, a story titled “California newborn becomes first baby to be named an emoji” circulated widely on social media. The story claimed a mother had named her baby the emoji equivalent of “heart-eyes heart-eyes heart-eyes.” It was fake and could be recognized as such by either its content or its source: prettycoolsite.com. Still, this story was shared on social media thousands of times, and some of those who shared it were likely children. Most US elementary-school-aged children have…