fake news

Many Millennials can’t identify fake news


New research reveals that despite sharing news on social media, many young people cannot spot the fake news.

The ability to identify fake news and false information is more important than ever–but critical thinking and information evaluation might pose a problem for Millennials, according to a new study from MindEdge Learning.

The study, conducted by Research Now, gauges the attitudes of 1,000 Millennials who are currently in college or are recent graduates in order to evaluate this group’s critical thinking skills and determine whether they were able to separate fake news from factual information.

The results were not promising: 44 percent of respondents received a relative ‘F’ when it comes to these skills.

Looking at news with a critical eye is essential given Millennials’ reliance on social networking. Fifty-five percent get their news through social media, and 51 percent share news through social media.

(Next page: The critical thinking test that many participants failed)

Despite that, the research reveals that only 36 percent of those surveyed said feel they are very well-trained in this area, and 37 percent of respondents admitted to sharing inaccurate information on social media.

As part of the study, respondents took a basic, nine-question Survey participants took a nine-question critical thinking test, and only 24 percent were able to correctly answer eight to nine questions designed to gauge their ability to detect false or misleading content. Nearly half–44 percent–were unable to answer more than five questions correctly.

Millennials also said they don’t feel their college education provided them with the skills they need to compete in the job market.

While three out of five respondents (61 percent) said they studied critical thinking in college, another 13 percent were unsure if they had received any formal training in this area. Only about one in three were very confident in their ability to identify false information.

Though many felt they were not prepared with critical thinking skills, they maintain that those very skills are increasingly important in the workplace.

Almost half (46 percent) claim that critical thinking skills in assessing the accuracy and reliability of websites and online content are very important, while two-thirds (64 percent) say that critical thinking skills will be or are very important to their future job prospects.

“These findings have significant ramifications, not only for the current fake news epidemic we’re facing, but also for millennials’ long-term success,” said Frank Connolly, a senior editor at MindEdge who oversaw the research. “By 2020, the World Economic Forum anticipates critical thinking will be the second most important skill to exhibit, second only to complex problem solving. Our research finds that the current state of critical thinking among millennials–the largest and most connected generation yet–is lacking in a big way, and now is the time to address the issue.”

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Laura Ascione

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