Publicação
Children and young people's views on disinformation: a qualitative study from Portugal
| Resumo: | This article aims to analyse the perspectives of children and young people about disinformation and news consumption. Based on the inputs of participants and their own perceptions on the matter, the terms news and information are adopted to investigate how younger generation relates to online environments. We explore how this phenomenon is present in their daily lives, the different ways they experience and perceive its potential impact on society, as well as strategies adopted to tackle it. The analysis is based on data obtained from 38 focus groups held with 257 children and young people aged between 11 and 20, attending 6th, 9th and 12th grades in public schools in mainland Portugal. Results indicated that they have access to news regularly however, it is not pursued to fulfil a particular purpose. Televised news constitutes the main source of news consumption. News broadcasted on TV are perceived as the most reliable source in relation to online information and social networks, that are considered more susceptible to fake news. Disinformation is a relatively familiar issue for a portion of the participants but is seen as neither a problem nor a concern. There is a weak awareness about the impacts and consequences of this phenomenon, although there are differences according to age. |
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| Autores principais: | Pereira, Sara |
| Outros Autores: | Brandão, Daniel; Neumann, Mariana Menezes; Toscano, Margarida |
| Assunto: | Information News Disinformation Children Young people Media Literacy fake news false information misinformation news consumption news literacy young generation |
| Ano: | 2024 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade do Minho |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho |
| Resumo: | This article aims to analyse the perspectives of children and young people about disinformation and news consumption. Based on the inputs of participants and their own perceptions on the matter, the terms news and information are adopted to investigate how younger generation relates to online environments. We explore how this phenomenon is present in their daily lives, the different ways they experience and perceive its potential impact on society, as well as strategies adopted to tackle it. The analysis is based on data obtained from 38 focus groups held with 257 children and young people aged between 11 and 20, attending 6th, 9th and 12th grades in public schools in mainland Portugal. Results indicated that they have access to news regularly however, it is not pursued to fulfil a particular purpose. Televised news constitutes the main source of news consumption. News broadcasted on TV are perceived as the most reliable source in relation to online information and social networks, that are considered more susceptible to fake news. Disinformation is a relatively familiar issue for a portion of the participants but is seen as neither a problem nor a concern. There is a weak awareness about the impacts and consequences of this phenomenon, although there are differences according to age. |
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