Teenagers are unaware of how to identify false information on the Internet, says survey

Adrisa de Góes – From Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – Although most Brazilian teenagers have access to the Internet, a total of 37% of them, in the range of 15 to 17 years, say they do not know or hardly know how to check on the net if an information is false or true. The data is part of the ICT Kids Online Brazil 2022 survey, released on Wednesday, 3, by the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br).

The survey also shows that 25% of respondents do not master or have little knowledge in checking reliable sites. The survey also reveals, among the study participants, that 13% do not know what information they should or should not share on the Internet. The indicators were divided by age, in groups of 100 teenagers from all over Brazil, and the survey was carried out between June and October last year.

Carried out by CGI.br and conducted by the Regional Center for Studies for the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br), of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br), the study aims to identify opportunities and risks related to online participation of the Brazilian population.

“In this edition, there was greater detail in the collection of indicators on digital skills, which are fundamental to understanding participation in the online environment. In general, the survey indicates a higher prevalence of operational skills compared to informational skills, which are those that enable greater resilience of users against the phenomenon of misinformation”, says the manager of NIC.br, Mr. Alexandre Barbosa.

Parental responsibility

For Mr. Fred Santana, a journalist working in Manaus, parents or guardians of adolescents up to 17 years old need to be vigilant to the actions of minors on the Internet, in a monitoring that includes education for the use of the network, in the most different platforms, since the experience in the most diverse areas of life of this public is limited.

“The educational knowledge [of teenagers] is still very restricted. So, the role of parents is fundamental in this process. They need to participate in both everyday education and education for news consumption. It is also part of this education to teach and direct their children how to do this kind of checking. The problem is that parents can’t always do it, but you can’t leave it up to them“, said the communicator.

Mr. Santana also believes that the lack of knowledge in the search for truthful information, in the case of teenagers, can lead them to become consumers of fake news. For him, education in the virtual environment is a job for the family, school, and community.

“The participation of parents, school, educators, and opinion makers who work in this area is fundamental. This cannot be left in the hands of young people alone”, he added.

Internet access and social formation

The psychoanalyst Mrs. Samiza Soares, who works in the capital of Amazonas, states that the internet can positively influence the formation of children and teenagers in several ways, because it is a vast source of information in the most varied fields, including social connection and educational opportunities.

“The Internet allows young people to connect with other people around the world, allowing them to feel more connected and part of a larger group. It can also provide educational opportunities that were previously unavailable, such as free online courses, classes, and tutorials” she points out.

However, Mrs. Soares warns about the negative impacts that the web can have, especially on teenagers, such as exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying and psychological dependence. Therefore, the psychoanalyst points out that it is important that parents and guardians monitor Internet use by minors to ensure the consumption of safe and healthy content in the virtual environment.

“The Internet can offer inappropriate content for young people, such as violence, pornography, and explicit language. Cyberbullying is one of the biggest risks of the internet for young people, as it can be very difficult to detect and can cause permanent emotional damage. Excessive use of the Internet can lead to technological dependence, which can negatively affect young people’s mental and physical health”, she concludes.