Is Breaking News Broken on Social Media?

The internet and social media give us tools to find out what's happening almost instantly. But how much can we trust the breaking news we see online? Anyone—accredited journalists, citizen journalists, or even someone on the street with a smartphone—can shed light on injustices or important events that larger media outlets might struggle to cover, or not cover at all. While this can help break stories, the information in these posts and reports can spread without the fact-checking, editorial lens, or journalistic ethics used in traditional news reporting. Things get even more complicated once politics come into play. Social media can be full of misinformation, and even disinformation, especially in the run-up to an election.

Use this lesson plan to help your students consider the unique challenges that social media presents to finding credible, accurate information.