Social Media & Misinformation
How feeds choose what you see, fake news and how it spreads, cyberbullying, privacy settings, age limits and healthy use.
⌨️ Start with your 10-minute typing warm-upBy the end, you will be able to:
- Explain how a feed's algorithm uses signals (watch time, likes, shares, follows) to predict what to show, and what an echo chamber is.
- Check a viral post with W.A.I.T. (Who posted it? Anyone else reporting it? Image check, Time and date) and decide whether to share it.
- Respond to cyberbullying with the five steps (don't reply, screenshot, block, report, tell an adult), act as an upstander, and explain privacy settings, the 13+ age limit and healthy habits.
What you need
No computer at home? Print the PDF and practise on paper.
Follow these steps in order
Tick each step when you finish it. Your ticks are saved on this device, so you can stop and come back later.
Learn the ideas ⏱️ 35 min
Read pages 1–4 of the workbook and try every small task. Type your answers straight into the boxes: they save by themselves.
Explore the 3D lab ⏱️ 15 min
Play with the 3D model below. The 🎯 missions tell you exactly what to do next. When you finish every mission, this step ticks itself.
Do the Lab Mission ⏱️ 25 min
Page 5 is the hands-on task. Do it on a real computer, step by step. You need: a web browser (no social media account needed).
Check yourself ⏱️ 10 min
Answer the questions on page 6 without looking back, then check your answers below.
Finished? Check your answers
Your turn (Page 2): probably more cat and other funny animal videos, because watching three cat videos to the end sent a strong signal (watch time) that he likes them, so the algorithm predicts he will watch more.
Your turn (Page 4): open task. For example: no phones at meal times, screens off an hour before bed, a daily time limit, phones charge outside the bedroom at night.
Mission 1 (Page 5): answers depend on the lab. Look for a named fake post with a W.A.I.T. clue (odd account, nobody else reporting it, an old or edited image, an old date), reporting or blocking instead of replying, and the feed filling up with more of the topic they watched.
Mission 2 (Page 5):
- Who: an unknown page, "Ghana Newz Update 24/7", created last week, with a misspelt name: not a trusted source.
- Anyone else: no trusted news website or the Ministry of Education reports schools closing.
- Image: the reverse image search shows the photo on older pages, from a past flood (give the year you noted). It is not "RIGHT NOW".
- Time: the picture is old; "share before they delete it!" is pressure, not proof.
- Decision: don't share. Kindly tell the group it is false and share the proof.
- How to report: the steps from the platform's own help page, usually: press and hold the post (or tap the ⋯ or Share button) → Report → choose a reason.
Scenario Decisions (Page 6)
- Forwarding the "lime cures malaria" post straight away: Unwise (a health claim that fails W.A.I.T. and could hurt someone).
- Fatima doesn't reply, screenshots, blocks and tells her teacher: Wise.
- Naa laughing along: Unwise (an upstander doesn't join in, sends a kind message, reports and tells).
- Kojo's reverse image search before sharing: Wise.
- Abena (11) faking her birth year: Unwise (the 13+ limit protects her; lying removes that protection).
Written Review Questions
- The app collects signals about what you do (how long you watch, what you like, share, follow, skip and search). From these it predicts what you will want to watch next and puts more of it in your feed, to keep you scrolling.
- W: Who posted it? A: Anyone else reporting it? I: Image check. T: Time and date. Fake news spreads fast because it uses strong emotion (shock, fear, anger) so people share without thinking, and speed: one tap sends it to many people, who send it on again.
Rate yourself and save your work ⏱️ 5 min
Tick how confident you feel on the last page, then press 🖨 Print / Save as PDF in the workbook to keep a copy. On a shared computer, press Clear my answers when you have saved it.
🎉 Session 34 complete!
Brilliant work. Next up: Session 35: Skills Lab 4: Connected & Safe.
Go to Session 35 →📰 Feed Check
Scroll a pretend social media feed. Spot fake news, report bullying, fix privacy settings and see how the feed learns what you like. Follow the 🎯 missions on the right: they tell you what to do next.
Stuck? Try this
Most problems are one missed word. Look for the Panic Button or Help box in the workbook.
Refresh the page. On a very old computer it may not show 3D. The workbook still has everything you need.
Answers save on the computer you typed them on. Open the workbook on that same computer and browser.
Ask your mentor, a teacher or a friend. Show them the step number you are on.