Polis Analysis welcomes the UK Government’s recent announcement that critical skills to combat disinformation, fake news, and conspiracy theories will be included within England’s primary and secondary school curriculum review as confirmed by the Education Secretary. [1] [2]

While mis/disinformation – the unintentional and intentional dissemination of false or misleading information – poses a threat to all generations in an age of ever growing digital communication [3] [4], evidence shows that children are particularly vulnerable to harmful online content.

A survey by the Center for Countering Digital Hate has found 13-17-year-olds with a high degree of social media usage to be 20% more likely than adults to agree with common conspiracy theory statements involving themes such as climate denial, Covid-19 denial, incel ideology, and the Great Replacement theory. [5]

In addition, a study published within the British Journal of Development Psychology has concluded that belief in conspiracy becomes “heightened” at the age of 14, noting potential factors such as social media use, increased mistrust and anxiety, the promise of conspiracies to “satisfy existential needs,” and a tendency by younger age groups to “not consider the credibility of news stories” online. [6]

With Ofcom research finding 26% of 5-7-year olds and 61% of 8-11-year-olds now own a mobile phone, while 51% of 3-12-year-olds using at least one social media app/site despite a 13+ minimum age requirement for most platforms [7], it is essential that children are given the right tools to appropriately assess the reliability of the information they read online.

A responsibility to teach children how to “use technology safely” from Key Stage 1 onwards has already been a requirement within England’s computing curriculum since at least 2013 [8], and academia continues to suggest increased media literacy remains one of the most effective intervention conditions to discern between truth and false or misleading content. [9] [10] [11]

As information warfare continues to affect individuals of all ages, it is reassuring to see the new Labour Government recognise and respond to this ongoing issue.

While these developments alone should not be expected to act as a silver bullet to what is a complex societal problem, Polis looks forward to September’s call for evidence and hopes it can proactively work alongside all relevant actors to ensure that the UK is kept safe from malicious digital threats.

[1]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6699698f49b9c0597fdb0010/Curriculum_and_assessment_review_-_aims_terms_of_ reference_and_working_principles.pdf

[2]https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/08/10/schools-wage-war-on-putrid-fake-news-in-wake-of-riots/

[3]https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Global_Risks_Report_2024.pdf

[4]https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/issues_development-enjeux_developpement/peace_security-paix_securite/declaration informationintegrity-integrite.aspx?lang=eng

[5]https://counterhate.com/blog/belief-in-conspiracy-theories-higher-among-teenagers-than-adults-as-majority-of-americans-support-so cial-media-reform-new-polling-finds/

[6]https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjdp.12368

[7]https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/research-and-data/media-literacy-research/children/children-media-use-a nd-attitudes-2024/childrens-media-literacy-report-2024.pdf?v=368229

[8]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-computing-programmes-of-study/national-curriculumin-england-computing-programmes-of-study

[9]https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/uyjha

[10]  https://www.state.gov/counter-disinformation-literature-review/

[11] https://www.gcedclearinghouse.org/sites/default/files/resources/210168eng.pdf