Truth, Lies and The Internet: A Report Into Young People's Digital Fluency

truth, lies and the
internet a report into

young peoples digital
fluency
Jamie Bartlett
Carl Miller
September 2011

TRUTH, LIES AND THE INTERNET
JumIe BurLIeLL
CurI MIIIer
SepLember zo11

Truth, Lies and the Internet
2

Open Access. Some rIgILs reserved.
As LIe pubIIsIer oI LIIs work, Demos wunLs Lo encouruge LIe cIrcuIuLIon oI our
work us wIdeIy us possIbIe wIIIe reLuInIng LIe copyrIgIL. We LIereIore Iuve un open
uccess poIIcy wIIcI enubIes unyone Lo uccess our conLenL onIIne wILIouL cIurge.
Anyone cun downIoud, suve, perIorm or dIsLrIbuLe LIIs work In uny IormuL, IncIudIng
LrunsIuLIon, wILIouL wrILLen permIssIon. TIIs Is subjecL Lo LIe Lerms oI LIe Demos
IIcence Iound uL LIe buck oI LIIs pubIIcuLIon. Ls muIn condILIons ure:

Demos und LIe uuLIor(s) ure credILed
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TIe LexL Is noL uILered und Is used In IuII
TIe work Is noL resoId
A copy oI LIe work or IInk Lo ILs use onIIne Is senL Lo Demos.

You ure weIcome Lo usk Ior permIssIon Lo use LIIs work Ior purposes oLIer LIun LIose
covered by LIe IIcence. Demos gruLeIuIIy ucknowIedges LIe work oI CreuLIve Commons
In InspIrIng our upproucI Lo copyrIgIL. To IInd ouL more go Lo www.creuLIvecommons.org

PARTNERS CREDITS
In collaboration with the Nominet Trust
ILLp:JJwww.nomIneLLrusL.org.ukJ

PubIIsIed by Demos zo11
Demos. Some rIgILs reserved.
TIIrd Ioor
MugduIen House
16 TooIey SLreeL
ondon SE1 zTU
T o8q q8 qqq
ozo ;6; qzo1
IeIIodemos.co.uk
www.demos.co.uk
3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
TIe InLerneL Is now uImosL cerLuInIy LIe greuLesL source oI
InIormuLIon Ior peopIe IIvIng In LIe UK Loduy. We use IL Lo reud up
on wIuL Is IuppenIng In LIe worId, Lo geL udvIce ubouL LIIngs LIuL
worry us, Lo urgue und coIIuboruLe, Lo decIde wIo Lo voLe Ior und
wIo Lo duLe.

TIe InIormuLIon we uccess und consume on LIe
InLerneL Is cenLruI Lo IormIng our uLLILudes, our beIIeIs, our vIews
ubouL LIe worId uround us und our sense oI wIo we ure wILIIn IL.
TIe umounL oI InIormuLIon uvuIIubIe Lo us uL LIe cIIck oI u mouse
wIen mukIng LIese decIsIons cun be boLI IIberuLIng und
uspIyxIuLIng. AILIougI LIere ure more e-books, LrusLworLIy
journuIIsm, nIcIe experLIse und uccuruLe IucLs und IIgures uL our
IIngerLIps LIun ever beIore, LIere ure equuIIy unprecedenLed
umounLs oI mIsLukes, IuII-LruLIs, mIsLruLIs, propugundu,
mIsInIormuLIon, dIsInIormuLIon und generuI nonsense.
MukIng sense oI uII LIIs - knowIng Iow Lo dIscrImInuLe LIe good,
reIIubIe, LrusLworLIy or useIuI InIormuLIon Irom LIe bud - Is
LIereIore oI Lremendous ImporLunce. TIe ubIIILy Lo muke LIese
dIIIIcuIL judgmenLs muLLers Lo everyone buL especIuIIy young peopIe,
Ior wIom LIe InLerneL Is u more ImporLunL medIum LIun uny oLIer
group.
Our reseurcI sIows, Iowever, LIuL muny young peopIe ure noL
cureIuI, dIscernIng users oI LIe InLerneL. TIey ure unubIe Lo IInd LIe
InIormuLIon LIey ure IookIng Ior or LrusL LIe IIrsL LIIng LIey do.
TIey do noL uppIy IucL cIecks Lo LIe InIormuLIon LIey IInd. TIey ure
unubIe Lo recognIse bIus und propugundu und wIII noL go Lo u vurIed
number oI sources. As u resuIL, LIey ure Loo oILen InIIuenced by
InIormuLIon LIey sIouId probubIy dIscurd.
1
TIIs mukes LIem
vuInerubIe Lo LIe pILIuIIs und rubbIL IoIes oI Ignorunce, IuIseIoods,
cons und scums. nuccuruLe conLenL, onIIne mIsInIormuLIon und
conspIrucy LIeorIes (sucI us LIose wIIcI surrounded LIe deuLI oI
Osumu bIn uden) ure uppeurIng In LIe cIussroom.
TIe poLenLIuI consequences oI LIIs on socIeLy us u wIoIe ure
unknown. One dunger Is LIuL young peopIe ure more IIkeIy Lo be
seduced by exLremIsL und vIoIenL Ideus. As we Iuve urgued
4
eIsewIere, muny LerrorIsL groups ure Ied by bogus onIIne muLerIuI
cIrcuIuLIng uncIuIIenged on onIIne ecIo cIumbers. Anders BreIvIk,
LIe recenL OsIo LerrorIsL, Is u devusLuLIng buL onIy LIe mosL recenL
exumpIe oI LIe power oI InLerneL muLerIuI Lo rudIcuIIse.
TIe unswer Is noL greuLer censorsIIp or u LIgILer conLroI over
InLerneL conLenL. TIe Lusk Is Lo ensure LIuL young peopIe cun muke
cureIuI, skepLIcuI und suvvy judgmenLs ubouL LIe InLerneL conLenL
LIey wIII, InevILubIy, encounLer. TIIs wouId uIIow LIem Lo beLLer
IdenLIIy ouLrIgIL IIes, scums, Iouxes, seIecLIve IuII-LruLIs, und
mIsLukes, und beLLer nuvIguLe LIe murkIer und greyer wuLers oI
urgumenL und opInIon.
TIe ubIIILy Lo judge LIe merILs oI dIIIerenL pIeces oI InIormuLIon Is
noL new; IL Is LIe busIs oI mucI oI cIussIcuI pIIIosopIy. However,
LIe urcIILecLure und IuncLIonuIILy oI LIe InLerneL mukes LIe job oI
sepuruLIng LIe wIeuL Irom LIe cIuII even Iurder. A specIIIc body oI
skIIIs und knowIedge Is requIred Lo muke InIormed judgmenLs. We
use LIe Lerm 'dIgILuI IIuency` Lo descrIbe LIIs compeLence: LIe ubIIILy
Lo IInd und crILIcuIIy evuIuuLe onIIne InIormuLIon. L Is u
combInuLIon oI 'oId` crILIcuI LIInkIng skIIIs, sucI us source
verIIIcuLIon, und 'new` knowIedge ubouL Iow LIe dIgILuI worId
works, sucI us undersLundIng seurcI engInes. TIese ure LIe bedrock
skIIIs necessury Ior LIe IndIvIduuI Lo use LIe InLerneL Lo seurcI,
reLrIeve, conLexLuuIIse, unuIyse, vIsuuIIse und synLIesIse
InIormuLIon eIIecLIveIy.
We underLook Lwo new pIeces oI reseurcI Lo deLermIne LIe exLenL oI
dIgILuI IIuency umong young peopIe In LIe UK. IrsL, we revIewed
currenL IILeruLure reIuLIng Lo dIgILuI IIuency, IncIudIng 1; surveys
und oLIer reseurcI pupers, sLudIes und reporLs underLuken beLween
zoo und zo1o. Second, we conducLed u survey oI oq LeucIers In
EngIund und WuIes ubouL LIe exLenL oI LIeIr pupIIs` dIgILuI IIuency.

5
Findings
Our IILeruLure revIew reveuIed LIuL 'dIgILuI nuLIves` (1z-18 yeur oIds)
ure very conIIdenL users oI LIe InLerneL, buL ure noL purLIcuIurIy
compeLenL. TIere Is some evIdence Lo sIow LIuL some young peopIe
ure dIscernIng, cureIuI InLerneL users, buL mucI eIse LIuL IndIcuLes
LIuL LIe skIIIs oI dIgILuI nuLIves do noL muLcI LIeIr own seII-
reporLuge:
! !""#$%&'#()*)+%,#&%+)-./#("#&"+#%00,'#12.13/#"&#+2.#
)&4"5$%+)"&#+2.'#%11.//6#uround one In Iour 1z-1 yeur
oIds muke no cIecks ct cll wIen vIsILIng u new websILe, und
Iess LIun one In Len usk wIo mude LIe sILe und wIy.
! 7./+2.+)1/#"-.5#89%,)+'6#decIsIons ubouL InIormuLIon
quuIILy Is bused on sILe desIgn, ruLIer LIun more uccuruLe
cIecks - uround one-LIIrd oI 1z-1 yeur oIds beIIeve LIuL II u
seurcI engIne IIsLs InIormuLIon LIen IL musL be LruLIIuI; und
1 per cenL don`L consIder LIe verucILy oI resuILs buL jusL vIsIL
LIe sILes LIey 'IIke LIe Iook oI`.
! :%13#"4#+.%12)&*6#onIy one-LIIrd oI q-1q yeur oIds Iuve
been LuugIL Iow Lo judge LIe reIIubIIILy oI onIIne
InIormuLIon. IILy-IIve per cenL oI LeucIers surveyed In zoo8
IeIL LIeIr sLudenLs 'dId noL Iuve suIIIcIenL undersLundIng oI
wIuL pIugIurIsm wus und wIuL counLs us IegILImuLe reseurcI`.
BeLween Muy 16
LI
und JuIy 16
LI
zo11, Demos conducLed un onIIne
survey oI prImury und secondury scIooI LeucIers In EngIund und
WuIes ubouL LIeIr vIews on LIeIr pupIIs` dIgILuI IIuency, und Iow IL
mIgIL be LuugIL In scIooI. n LoLuI, we receIved oq responses. TIIs
Is LIe IurgesL survey oI ILs kInd ever conducLed.
TIe InLenLIon oI LIe survey wus Lo evInce generuI uLLILudes wILIIn
LIe LeucIIng proIessIon Lowurds severuI LIemes: LIe ImporLunce oI
LIe InLerneL und dIgILuI IIuency skIIIs; LIe exLenL oI LIeIr pupIIs`
currenL dIgILuI IIuency; und LIe sLuLe oI dIgILuI IIuency wILIIn LIe
scIooI. To LIIs end, u sumpIe wILI u reusonubIe spreud oI LeucIers
(by senIorILy, subjecL und cIuss-uge) und scIooIs (by geogrupIIcuI
IocuIe, scIooI-Lype und secLor), ruLIer LIun u compIeLeIy
6
represenLuLIve proIIIe oI uII LeucIers und scIooIs, wus requIred. TIe
resuILs oI LIe survey ure LIereIore noL perIecLIy represenLuLIve oI LIe
LeucIIng proIessIon us u wIoIe. TIe onIIne survey meLIodoIogy und
pubIIcuLIon sLruLegy we empIoyed dId noL uIIow Ior u LoLuIIy
represenLuLIve serIes oI dIsLrIbuLIons und proporLIons wILIIn LIe
sumpIe coIorL. However, we dId uppIy posL-sLruLIIIcuLIon weIgILIngs
(uccordIng Lo subjecLs LuugIL, us meusured by LIe ScIooI WorkIorce
Census) Lo Improve represenLuLIveness. L Is wILI LIIs cuveuL In
mInd LIuL we presenL LIese duLu. A IuII meLIodoIogy Is uvuIIubIe In
LIe unnex.
TIe IIndIngs IncIude:
! ;&+.5&.+#+.%12)&*#%&(#,.%5&)&*#)/#49&(%$.&+%,#+"#
!"!#$%&'%()**$'+&(#0.5/"&%,#,)-./6#88 per cenL oI
LeucIers surveyed consIder InLerneL-bused reseurcI Lo be
ImporLunL Ior LIeIr pupIIs` scIooIwork;#und q per cenL
reporL LIuL LIeIr pupIIs Iuve brougIL InIormuLIon InLo LIe
cIussroom LIey Iuve Iound onIIne. ; per cenL beIIeve LIuL
InLerneL-bused conLenL Lo be ImporLunL In LIe IormuLIon und
vuIIduLIon oI LIeIr pupIIs` beIIeIs.
! ,-+()-.%'+.-'/*..#-0'+1*"2'2)-#.'!"!#$%&'0#3#2+$'
/3),,/6#qq per cenL oI LeucIers#surveyed#LIInk LIuL dIgILuI
IIuency Is un ImporLunL skIII Ior pupIIs Lo possess, buL#ucross
u runge oI meusures, LeucIers ruLe LIeIr pupIIs` dIgILuI IIuency
skIIIs us beIow uveruge. n purLIcuIur, LIe uppIIcuLIon oI IucL-
cIecks or oLIer source verIIIcuLIon on LIe onIIne InIormuLIon
LIey consume, LIe ubIIILy Lo recognIse bIus or propugundu,
und LIe vurIeLy oI sILes LIey vIsIL, ure ruLed mosL poorIy.
! <)/)&4"5$%+)"&=#05"0%*%&(%=#%&(#1"&/0)5%1'#
+2."5)./#%5.#>.)&*#>5"9*2+#)&+"#+2.#1,%//5""$6#q; per
cenL oI LeucIers surveyed
z
reporL IuvIng encounLered
urgumenLs wILIIn Iessons or submILLed scIooIwork LIuL
conLuIn InuccuruLe InLerneL-bused conLenL LIey regurd us
deIIberuLeIy puckuged by LIe producers Lo be mIsIeudIng or
deceILIuI (Ior exumpIe, IoIocuusL denIuI puckuged us rudIcuI
IIsLorIcuI revIsIonIsm). 18 per cenL reporL LIIs Iuppens on uL
7
IeusL u monLIIy busIs. PerIups more surprIsIngIy, q8 per cenL
oI LeucIers surveyed
reporL IuvIng Iud urgumenLs In cIuss

wILI pupIIs ubouL conspIrucy LIeorIes. More LIun one In IIve
reporLed LIIs IuppenIng on u monLIIy busIs.
! !.%12.5/#>.,).-.#"-.5?2.,$)&*,'#+2%+#()*)+%,#4,9.&1'#
&..(/#+"#>.#*)-.&#$"5.#05"$)&.&1.#)&#+2.#
1,%//5""$6#qq per cenL oI LeucIers surveyed consIder
dIgILuI IIuency Lo be un ImporLunL skIII Ior young peopIe Lo
possess; und 88 per cenL
q
LIInk IL sIouId be gIven more
promInence In LIe nuLIonuI currIcuIum.
CombInIng our survey resuILs wILI LIe buckground IILeruLure
revIew, we beIIeve InIormuLIon IILerucy LeucIIng In scIooIs Is
sLruggIIng Lo keep puce wILI LIe rIse oI LIe InLerneL. TIe InLerneL
Ius become cenLruI Lo IeurnIng, buL LIe skIIIs Lo use IL upproprIuLeIy
und weII Iuve noL become cenLruI Lo IeurnIng Iow Lo Ieurn.

Recommendations
We recommend u mujor cumpuIgn Lo pIuce dIgILuI IIuency uL LIe
IeurL oI IeurnIng. n u conLexL wIere young peopIe ure conIronLed
wILI sucI u vusL urruy oI InIormuLIon, IuvIng LIe skIIIs und
knowIedge Lo evuIuuLe und ussess LIuL InIormuLIon Is u IundumenLuI
skIII LIuL uII cIIIdren musL possess. TIe governmenL, scIooIs,
InLerneL compunIes und provIders, creuLIve ugencIes, IIbrurIes und
purenLs uII Iuve u roIe Lo pIuy.
@)*)+%,#A9(*$.&+#$9/+#>.1"$.#%#1"5.#0%5+#"4#+2.#B%+)"&%,#
C955)19,9$#%&(#+.%12.5#+5%)&)&*D#TIe GovernmenL sIouId
IncIude dIgILuI IIuency us u 'core compeLency` In LIe NuLIonuI
CurrIcuIum durIng ILs currenL revIew. DIgILuI IIuency Is u
IounduLIonuI, core skIII LIuL sIouId underIIe LeucIIng und IeurnIng
ucross uII subjecLs, und Is noL conIIned Lo u sIngIe subjecL. As u
mInImum, uII scIooIs musL LeucI pupIIs ubouL seurcI engInes,
propugundu LecInIques, source uLLrIbuLIon LecInIques, und LIe rIsks
oI duLu-sIurIng.
AILIougI LIere ure some promIsIng InILIuLIves In

some scIooIs, coveruge Is puLcIy und Loo muny scIooIs do noL LeucI
8
IL. GIven LIuL un IncreusIng number oI scIooIs wIII be operuLIng
ouLsIde LIe NuLIonuI CurrIcuIum, LIIs Is someLIIng LIuL ucudemIes
und Iree scIooIs sIouId uIso Luke on LIemseIves. TIe DepurLmenL
Ior EducuLIon musL uIso ensure LIuL LIese skIIIs ure LuugIL us purL oI
LeucIer LruInIng progrummes.##
!2.#@.0%5+$.&+#4"5#.(91%+)"&#/2"9,(#A")&#4"51./#?)+2#+2.#
05)-%+.#/.1+"5#%&(#+2)5(#/.1+"5#+"#15.%+.#%#/.+#"4#+.%12.5#
5./"951./D#TIe mujorILy oI LeucIers we surveyed were Iuppy Lo
LeucI dIgILuI judgmenL, buL muny suId LIey need LIe muLerIuIs,
supporL und LruInIng Lo do so. Some LeucIers muy Iuck conIIdence In
reIuLIon Lo LIeIr use oI CT und do noL uIwuys Iuve LIe LIme Lo
recLIIy IL.
6
BoLI LIe DepurLmenL Ior EducuLIon und InLerneL
compunIes sucI us GoogIe und YuIoo! sIouId creuLe muLerIuIs LIuL
cun be used In LIe cIussroom, und wIere possIbIe, LeucIIng
ussIsLunce. A bespoke web presence sIouId be creuLed Lo provIde un
overurcIIng conLexL Ior dIgILuI IIuency LeucIIng, orgunIsIng LIe
IInks, muLerIuIs, Iesson pIuns und exumpIes necessury Ior cIussroom
LeucIIng.
MIsInIormuLIon oILen LIrIves becuuse IL Is more uLLrucLIveIy
puckuged und dIssemInuLed us sIurubIe, socIuI medIu-IrIendIy
producLs. TeucIIng resources musL use LIe sume LecInIques Lo
LeucI us young peopIe use: YouTube vIdeos, webInurs, InLerucLIve
Lusks und podcusLs. Moreover, InLerneL-borne mIsInIormuLIon oILen
LIrIves on unLI-esLubIIsImenL kudos, us u wuy Ior young peopIe Lo
usserL Independence oI mInd. A dIgILuI IIuency cumpuIgn musL noL
overIy IdenLIIy wILI uuLIorILy, und sIouId uIso IncIude muLerIuI LIuL
provIde LIe opporLunILy Lo crILIque und dIscuss esLubIIsImenL (be IL
oIIIcIuI, governmenL or scIooI) decIsIons or ucLIons.
E%5.&+/#&..(#+"#+%3.#%#$"5.#%1+)-.#5",.#)&#$%&%*)&*#%&(#
3"#0#43'2)-#.'()#$0.-4&%'*4$#4-'(*4%"5!2#*46'+40'
.&1"95%*.#15)+)1%,#+2)&3)&*D#A decude ugo, mosL cIIIdren IIrsL
encounLered LecInoIogy uL scIooI - now IL Is In LIe Iome.
;
TIIs Is u
drumuLIc cIunge, becuuse InLerneL use uL Iome Is reIuLIveIy
unsupervIsed Ior young peopIe: over IuII oI 1z-1 yeur oIds suy LIey
'mosLIy use LIe InLerneL uIone`, und q1 per cenL oI purenLs oI LIIs uge
group suy LIuL LIeIr cIIId Ius uccess Lo LIe InLerneL In LIeIr
9
bedroom, u rIse Irom 1 per cenL In zooq.
8
Muny purenLs LIInk LIuL
LIe dIgILuI worId Is uIIen Lo LIem - u mysLerIous pIuce InIubILed by
LIeIr 'dIgILuI nuLIve` cIIIdren. TIey sIouId noL. OIIIIne knowIedge
und crILIcuI LIInkIng skIIIs possessed by purenLs ure oI enormous
reIevunce In un onIIne seLLIng, Loo. PurenLs need Lo be purL oI uny
cumpuIgn, und sIouId sLurL by becomIng more IumIIIur und
conIIdenL wILI vurIous uspecLs oI InLerneL IuncLIonuIILy us purL oI
LIeIr cIIId`s generuI educuLIon, und ImpurLIng LIe ImporLunce oI
cureIuI, LIougILIuI evuIuuLIon oI InIormuLIon, wIuLever LIe source.
10
CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION

New technoIogy
eur ubouL corrupLIng young, InnocenL mInds uIwuys uccompunIes
new LecInoIogy. SocruLes In PIuLo`s Phcedrus IumousIy wurned
uguInsL 'IeLLers`, becuuse Ie LIougIL IL wouId promoLe IorgeLIuIness.
PeopIe, Ie predIcLed, wouId become 'LIe Ieurers oI muny LIIngs und
wIII Iuve Ieurned noLIIng`.
q
WIen LIe prInLed book sLurLed roIIIng
oII JoIunnes GuLenberg`s press, muny suspecLed IL wouId be
'conIusIng und IurmIuI`, overwIeImIng young peopIe wILI duLu.
1o

Newspupers, comIc books, rudIo, LeIevIsIon, und vIdeo gumes were
uII cIoseIy uLLended by moruI punIcs, wIIcI (mosLIy) subsIded once
peopIe becume used Lo LIem. TIe udvenL oI LIe dIgILuI uge Is us
revoIuLIonury us uny oI LIese LecInoIogIes.
Ike LIe prInLed book, LIe personuI und socIeLuI beneIILs oI LIe
InLerneL ure IncuIcuIubIe. L Ius drumuLIcuIIy wIdened uccess Lo
knowIedge und Ideus. PeopIe use IL Lo expose governmenL
corrupLIon. L Is u source oI udvIce und guIdunce, even comIorL und
Iove. L Ius brougIL peopIe LogeLIer Lo coIIuboruLe In new und
excILIng wuys: even Lo IeIp overLIrow corrupL governmenL. As
uuLIors ceIebruLe our dIgILuI IuLure us one vurIousIy more
democruLIc, oppressIon-Iree, even psycIoIogIcuIIy unILed LIun ever
beIore, very Iew oI us couId, or wouId wunL Lo, ImugIne u worId
enLIreIy oIIIIne.
11

BuL, IIke LIe prInLed book, LIere Is uIso u IoudenIng cIorus oI voIces
ruIsIng LIe uIurm ubouL u 'durker` sIde oI LIe InLerneL. MosL oI LIese
concerns reIuLe Lo young peopIe, sucI us LIe wIde uvuIIubIIILy oI
pornogrupIy, cyber-buIIyIng, InLerneL prIvucy, und onIIne sLuIkers
und groomers. Some wrILers Iuve poInLed Lo possIbIe Iong-Lerm
deLrImenLuI IeuILI eIIecLs oI onIIne sLImuIuLIon, sucI us 'LecIno-
sLress`, 'duLu uspIyxIuLIon`, 'InIormuLIon IuLIgue syndrome`,
'cognILIve overIoud`, und 'LIme IumIne`.
1z
NIck Curr, Ior exumpIe,
worrIes LIuL LIe InLerneL Ius mude our LIInkIng sIuIIower und Iess
reIIecLIve, wIIIe Susun GreenIIeId suggesLs LIuL LIe bruIn`s
11
'neuropIusLIcILy` - ILs ubIIILy Lo pIysIoIogIcuIIy cIunge uccordIng Lo
LIe envIronmenL - Is udupLIng Lo LIe 'wow und yuck` sensuLIonuIIsm
oI LIe dIgILuI worId, resuILIng In sIorL uLLenLIon spuns, un InubIIILy
Lo empuLIIse und u sIuky sense oI IdenLILy.
1
TIese debuLes conLInue
Lo ruge.
1q

TIe governmenL Ius sLurLed Lo Luke noLe, commIssIonIng u serIes oI
reporLs und revIews ubouL InLerneL suIeLy. MosL noLubIe Is ProIessor
Tunyu Byron`s zoo8 revIew, wIIcI Ied dIrecLIy Lo LIe seLLIng up oI
LIe UK CouncII on CIIIdren`s nLerneL SuIeLy.
1
OLIer pubIIc und
ucudemIc work IoIIowed, IncIudIng Dr Indu PupudopouIos` revIew
InLo LIe sexuuIIsuLIon oI young peopIe, und u IurLIer IoIIow-up
reporL by ProIessor Byron. A broud poIILIcuI consensus Ius emerged
In recenL yeurs LIuL LIe governmenL, purenLs, und IndusLry uII need
Lo pIuy u roIe Lo ensure cIIIdren ure suIe onIIne.
Information overIoad?
TIere Is unoLIer uspecL oI LIe dIgILuI uge LIuL Is Iess remurked upon,
buL jusL us sIgnIIIcunL: Iow LIe InLerneL Is cIungIng LIe wuy peopIe
Iorm beIIeIs und muke decIsIons.
n zooq, Lo ceIebruLe LIe qo
LI
unnIversury oI LIe InLerneL, LIe
DeIense Advunced ReseurcI ProjecLs Agency (DARPA) reIeused Len
red weuLIer buIIoons ucross nIne AmerIcun sLuLes. L oIIered
$qo,ooo Lo wIIcIever Leum couId IocuLe LIem uII IIrsL.
16
AILer jusL
nIne Iours u Leum Irom MT Iud scooped LIe prIze, by esLubIIsIIng
un onIIne pIuLIorm Ior vIruI coIIuboruLIon, promIsIng cusI Ior eucI
person Lo gIve LIem u correcL buIIoon IocuLIon, und smuIIer
IncenLIves Ior LIose wIo Iooked LIese peopIe InLo LIeIr neLwork.
TIey used ucebook und TwILLer Lo spreud LIe promIse oI rewurd
Iur und wIde. As IL InLended, LIe compeLILIon sIowed LIe power oI
onIIne coIIuboruLIon wIen IL comes Lo soIvIng dIIIIcuIL probIems
quIckIy. rom compIex vIsuuI recognILIon uIgorILIms LruwIIng
mIIIIons oI Imuges, Lo socIuI medIu cumpuIgns generuLIng enougI
'Iype` or 'buzz` Lo InIIuence Lens oI LIousunds, uII LIe conLenders
Iocused on onIIne sLruLegIes. L wus LIe onIy wuy Lo be In LIe
runnIng.
12
TIe posL-morLem reveuIed un InLeresLIng Iesson. TIe IeudIng Leums
ugreed LIe muIn dIIIIcuILy wus noL geLLIng IoId oI good InIormuLIon
- IL wus Iow Lo know wIuL InIormuLIon Lo LrusL. TIe MT Leum
receIved more LIun zoo submIssIons oI buIIoon sIgILIngs, onIy o
or qo oI wIIcI Lurned ouL Lo be uccuruLe.
1;
Some were genuIne
mIsLukes (oddIy, u Iurge red non-DARPA buIIoon Iuppened Lo be
IungIng over RoyuI Ouk, MIcIIgun, on LIe sume duy), wIIIe oLIers
were deIIberuLe - LIere were IuIse reporLs und Iuked pIoLogrupIs,
even sopIIsLIcuLed 'Ieuks` Irom oLIer Leums.
18

TIe InLerneL Is IncredIbIy powerIuI, und cun be Ieveruged In
usLonIsIIng wuys Lo soIve compIex probIems. BuL ILs IuLure Is sLuked
on Iow eusIIy und eIIecLIveIy InIormuLIon und dIsInIormuLIon cun be
dIsenLungIed. TIe key Lo IurnessIng und expIoILIng LIe InLerneL now
Is Lo spoL LIe Iukes: Lo know Iow Lo LeII LIe LruLI Irom LIe IIes, und
Iow Lo negoLIuLe LIe grey ureus oI commenL, opInIon und
propugundu In beLween.
OnIine epistemoIogy
TIe InLerneL Is now uImosL cerLuInIy LIe greuLesL source oI
InIormuLIon Ior peopIe IIvIng In LIe UK Loduy.
1q
n zooq, q1 per cenL
oI peopIe cIecked u IucL onIIne, qo per cenL InvesLIguLed LopIcs oI
personuI InLeresL und ;1 per cenL Iooked up LIe deIInILIon oI u
word.
zo
We use IL Lo reud up on wIuL Is IuppenIng In LIe worId, und
Lo geL udvIce ubouL IeuILI probIems und LIIngs we don`L mucI IIke
Lo LuIk ubouL pubIIcIy.
z1
We use IL Lo muke decIsIons ubouL wIo Lo
voLe Ior.
zz
L Is cenLruI Lo IormIng our worId-vIews, our uLLILudes,
und our beIIeIs.
TIe sIeer umounL oI InIormuLIon uvuIIubIe Lo muke LIese decIsIons
Is enLIreIy noveI. WIen we IIre up u browser, we cun cIoose Irom
over zo mIIIIon dIIIerenL websILes, und 1o mIIIIon bIogs.
z
Over z
bIIIIon LweeLs were senL In zo1o, Iour bIIIIon Imuges ure IosLed on
IIckr, und zq Iours oI YouTube IooLuge Is upIouded every mInuLe.
usL yeur uIone, LIe conLenL creuLed wus severuI mIIIIon LImes more
LIun LIe umounL oI InIormuLIon In every book ever wrILLen.
zq

As unyone wIo Ius spenL even u smuII umounL oI LIme onIIne wIII
know, LIe quuIILy oI LIIs InIormuLIon cun be Iur Irom perIecL.
13
AILIougI LIere ure more e-books, LrusLworLIy journuIIsm, nIcIe
experLIse und uccuruLe IucLs und IIgures LIun ever beIore, LIIs Is
uccompunIed by equuIIy unprecedenLed umounLs oI mIsLukes,
mIsLruLIs, propugundu, mIsInIormuLIon, und oLIer generuI
nonsense. An esLImuLed 8q per cenL oI LIe 1o; LrIIIIon emuIIs senL In
zo1o were spum-reIuLed.
z
By zooq, LIe SImon WIesenLIuI CenLre
wus uIreudy wurnIng ubouL LIe rIse oI exLremIsL ucLIvILy on LIe
InLerneL In 'IuLe z.o`. TIey esLImuLed LIuL LIe number oI IuLe und
LerrorIsL websILes Iud grown by u LIIrd LIuL yeur, Lo over 8,ooo.
TIey especIuIIy poInL ouL LIe expIosIve growLI und poLenLIuI
InIIuence oI sucI groups on socIuI medIu, especIuIIy ucebook
groups.
z6

TIere Is noLIIng new In LIe cIuIIenge oI sorLIng LIe wIeuL Irom LIe
cIuII. TIe ubIIILy Lo judge LIe merILs oI dIIIerenL pIeces oI
InIormuLIon Is LIe busIs oI one oI LIe oIdesL pIIIosopIIcuI
dIscIpIInes In LIe WesLern LrudILIon: epIsLemoIogy. EpIsLemoIogy
sLudIes LIe nuLure oI LruLI - Iow we ucquIre, undersLund und
vuIIduLe knowIedge. SImpIy puL, wIeLIer oIIIIne or onIIne, we need
Lo dIsLInguIsI good Irom bud InIormuLIon und LIuL requIres LIe
uppIIcuLIon oI boLI personuI LecInIques und skIIIs LIuL uIIow one Lo
muke u cureIuI, reusoned judgmenL.
TIe cenLruIILy oI LIe InLerneL In LIe IormuLIon und consumpLIon oI
InIormuLIon meuns LIuL LIe ubIIILy Lo uppIy cureIuI dIscernmenL und
judgmenL Is more ImporLunL LIun ever. TIe urcIILecLure,
IuncLIonuIILy und usuge oI LIe InLerneL ILseII presenLs some noveI
dIIIIcuILIes und pILIuIIs LIuL muke judgmenL even more dIIIIcuIL.
TIese IncIude:
! !2.#%>/.&1.#"4#*%+.F3..0.5/
How we personuIIy dIscern good InIormuLIon Irom LIe bud
usuuIIy sLems Irom u sysLem oI coIIecLIveIy consLrucLed und
supporLed InsLILuLIons und norms. ndeed, one oI LIe oIdesL
IuncLIons oI Iumun cooperuLIon Is Lo creuLe u 'socIuI
epIsLemoIogy` Lo order, cuLegorIse und medIuLe InIormuLIon
In order Lo muke LIe dIIIIcuIL decIsIons ubouL wIuL Lo LrusL u
IILLIe eusIer. TIe peer-revIewed ucudemIc journuI, LIe edILed
14
scIooI LexL-book, LIe specIuIIsL unLIoIogy, uII ucL us
guLekeepers, experLIy posIng (uL IeusL In LIeory) cerLuIn LesLs
oI verucILy und uuLIenLIcILy LIuL needed Lo be pussed beIore
LIe conLenL Is permILLed InLo LIe pubIIc spIere. Muny oI LIese
IeIpIuI medIuLors ure ubsenL onIIne. OI course, LIere ure
some very eIIecLIve InLerneL-bused IIILers. One Iumous LesL
conducLed by Ncture muguzIne compured wIeLIer WIkIpedIu
wus more uccuruLe LIun EncycIopedIu BrILunnIcu. TIe oId
musLer suw oII LIe cIuIIenger - buL noL by mucI.
z;
AILIougI
LIere ure norms, sucI us WIkIpedIu`s edILIng procedures, LIey
ure more InIormuI und on muny sILes, non-exIsLenL. n muny
pIuces, LIe InLerneL Is u IurgeIy IuwIess und unonymous urenu
LIuL Is eusy Lo enLer, wIere LIere Is IILLIe buckIusI Ior
spreudIng mIsInIormuLIon (uILIougI LIIs muy be cIungIng).
z8

TIe usuuI wuy oI ucquIrIng IegILImucy - sIIck websILe desIgn
- Is eusIIy In LIe reucIes oI mosL users.
! 7&"&'$)+'#%&(#+2.#0.()*5..#05">,.$##
No sIngIe person knows enougI ubouL every subjecL Lo muke
dIrecL judgmenLs ubouL LIe LruLI or IuIseIood oI every cIuIm
mude. n u compIex, specIuIIsed und esoLerIc worId, we musL
LrusL In experLs. JoIn HurdwIg cuIIs LIIs LIe 'novIceJexperL
probIem`.
zq
An ImporLunL und IundumenLuI sLruL oI
epIsLemoIogy Loduy Is LIereIore LIe uppIIcuLIon oI 'pedIgree
crILerIu`.
o
We LrusL InIormuLIon becuuse oI uho provIdes IL.
TIe InLerneL poses some specIIIc cIuIIenges Lo usIng pedIgree
crILerIu. MucI InLerneL dIscussIon occurs In pIuces wIIcI ure
unonymous, or wIere IdenLILy (und LIereIore uuLIorILy) cun
be eusIIy Iuked. PeopIe IncreusIngIy reIy on vIsuuI sIgns oI
uuLIorILy. WILI unonymILy, purveyors oI mIsInIormuLIon
rureIy need Lo 'sLund by LIeIr byIIne`. WIIIsL u muInsLreum
pubIIsIer musL observe deIumuLIon und IIbeI Iuw, IeguI
suncLIon rureIy Invudes LIe dIgILuI Iree-Ior-uII.

15
! !2.#*.&.5%+)"&%,#()-)(.
PurenLs ure LypIcuIIy LIe muIn guurdIuns oI InIormuLIon, Lo u
greuLer or Iesser exLenL ensurIng LIuL LIe muLerIuI cIIIdren
consume Is uge-upproprIuLe, compreIensIbIe, und uccuruLe.
WILI LIe InLerneL, LIIs supervIsIon Is oILen ubsenL. q8 per
cenL oI purenLs LIInk LIeIr cIIId knows more LIun LIem ubouL
LIe InLerneL, rIsIng Lo ;o per cenL oI purenLs oI 1z-1 yeur-
oIds.
1
OnIy 16 per cenL oI purenLs consIder LIemseIves
udvunced InLerneL users, compured Lo z per cenL oI
cIIIdren.
z
n zoo, umong purenLs, onIy one In LIree knew
Iow Lo seL up un emuII uccounL, Iewer LIun u IIILI knew Iow
Lo seL up u IIILer, 1q per cenL remove u vIrus, 1z per cenL
downIoud musIc und z1 per cenL IIx u probIem.
AccordIng Lo
u recenL poII conducLed by TuIkTuIk, cIIIdren ure spendIng
on uveruge over Lwo Iours u duy on LIe InLerneL und purenLs
udmILLed LIuL uround IuII oI LIeIr cIIIdren`s LIme onIIne Is
unsupervIsed.
q
A number oI commenLuLors see u quuIILuLIve
dIsconLInuILy beLween LIe 'DIgILuI NuLIves` und 'DIgILuI
mmIgrunLs`.

! !2.#0/.9("F/)+./#%&(#05"0%*%&(%
Muny websILes ure noL wIuL LIey seem. Some ure creuLed Ior
neIurIous ends LIuL ure specIIIcuIIy desIgned Lo uppeur
LrusLworLIy. TIe websILe, ILLp:JJwww.murLInIuLIerkIng.org,
purporLs Lo presenL 'u Lrue IIsLorIcuI exumInuLIon` oI MurLIn
uLIer KIng Jr., und Is uImed specIIIcuIIy uL sLudenLs wrILIng
essuys Ior LIe MurLIn uLIer KIng Duy Essuy ConLesL. TIe
websILe Is u veIIed uLLuck on KIng`s repuLuLIon und LIe CIvII
RIgILs MovemenL In generuI, und Is (quIeLIy) IosLed by LIe
WIILe supremucIsL group SLormronL. TIe nsLILuLe or
HIsLorIcuI RevIew (ILLp:JJIIr.orgJ) cIuIms Lo be u 'non-
purLIsun, non-IdeoIogIcuI und non-secLurIun` Ior revIsIonIsL
IIsLorIcuI reseurcI. TIe very purLIsun, IdeoIogIcuI und
secLurIun pseudo-IIsLorIcuI conLenL promoLes HoIocuusL
denIuI.

16
! !2.#9/.#"4#)$%*.5'
WILI YouTube, VImeo, IIckr und oLIer socIuI medIu sILes
IosLIng vIsuuI conLenL, Imuge munIpuIuLIon LecInIques ure
IncreusIngIy uIIowIng mIsInIormuLIon Lo be powerIuIIy und
uLLrucLIveIy puckuged. TIe conspIrucIsL IIIm Loose Chcne,
wIIcI cIuIms LIuL qJ11 wus u 'IuIse IIug` uLLuck perpeLruLed by
eIemenLs oI LIe US InLeIIIgence, becume un InLerneL
sensuLIon, uLLrucLIng mIIIIons oI vIews. TIe IILuny oI errors,
mIsuLLrIbuLIons, vugue InsInuuLIons, subLIe mIsquoLes und
ouLrIgIL IuIseIoods were musked by u cooI soundLruck by DJ
SkooIy, uLmospIerIc nurruLIon und mesmerIsIng vIdeo
edILIng. TIe IIIm`s vurIous IIberLIes wILI LIe LruLI Iuve now
been cureIuIIy cuLuIogued, yeL IL Is no uccIdenL LIuL LIIs
decepLIve, II skIIIuIIy puckuged, vIdeo becume LIe IIrsL
InLerneL bIockbusLer.
6
More prosuIcuIIy, InexpensIve yeL
IugeIy eIIecLIve und sopIIsLIcuLed Imuge-edILIng soILwure -
Lo crop, enIunce, or ouLrIgIL uILer Imuges - exIsLs.
SomeLImes even newspupers cun be IooIed. n June zo11, LIe
News oI LIe WorId puId ;o,ooo In IIbeI dumuges Lo
IooLbuIIer ArLur Boruc uILer wrongIy reporLIng un uppurenL
InIIdeIILy. A IruudsLer IooIed LIe puper wILI u Iuke ucebook
puge, buL uIso u pIcLure oI u mun`s Lorso pIoLosIopped Lo udd
u monkey LuLLoo, sImIIur Lo Boruc`s.
;

! !2.#.12"#12%$>.5#
TIe InLerneL cun someLImes ucL uguInsL LIe purveyors oI
mIsInIormuLIon. TIere Is u vIbrunL communILy oI onIIne
debunkers. SILes IIke ILLp:JJwww.debunkIngq11.com und LIe
onIIne JournuI oI DebunkIng qJ11 Iuve powerIuIIy cIuIIenged
conspIrucIsL nurruLIves. Muny cILIzen journuIIsLs do LIe sume,
IIne by IIne, Ior popuIur und conLroversIuI books, und IIIms.
ndeed, some, sucI us EIIse NIckerson, urgue LIuL IoIocuusL
denIuI Ius been weukened In LIe LrunsIer Irom books Lo LIe
web.
8
YeL us InLeresL groups und communILIes oI IeIIow
LruveIIers Iuve couIesced, mucI oI LIe InLerneL Ius now
Iormed IsIunds oI segreguLed opInIon ruLIer LIun IIows oI
dIssenLIng urgumenL und engugemenL. WILIIn LIese oILen
17
IuIrIy cIosed communILIes, LIe Lwo-wuy IIow oI InIormuLIon
doesn`L Iuppen. DogmuLIc websILe udmInIsLruLors und Iorum
moderuLors oILen conLroI conLenL wILI un Iron grIp.
TecInoIogIsLs IIke ELIun Zuckermun ure noLIcIng LIuL
InLerneL use Is noL LIe 'Iree und open excIunge oI
InIormuLIon` Ior wIIcI Is wus orIgInuIIy conceIved.
q
nLerneL
use Is BuIkunIsed - IL ucLuuIIy consIsLs oI preLLy sImIIur Lypes
oI peopIe, LuIkIng LIe sume Iunguuge, on LIe sume kInds oI
LopIc. RecenL reseurcI on TwILLer, Ior exumpIe, Iound LIuL
'LrendIng` LopIcs were eILIer overwIeImIngIy WIILe or
AIrIcun AmerIcun - und rureIy boLI.
qo
A recenL sLudy
ussessed LIe sLruLegIes peopIe use Ior cIoosIng news, und
Iound LIuL LIere cerLuInIy Is more nIcIe LurgeLIng oI news.
TIey IInd LIuL 'one cIeur munner In wIIcI LIe InLerneL
uppeurs Lo dIIIer Irom oLIer muss medIu Is LIe degree oI
nIcIe LurgeLIng oI poIILIcuI InIormuLIon-orIenLed websILes.`
q1

DigitaI fIuency
TIIs does noL meun LIuL LIe InLerneL sIouId be censored.
ConLroIIIng LIe InIormuLIon LIuL peopIe cun uccess Is uL LIe very
IeusL eLIIcuIIy dubIous, und, Irom u prucLIcuI poInL oI vIew, probubIy
ImpossIbIe. More IundumenLuIIy, LIere ure vurIous urcIILecLuruI
prIncIpIes on wIIcI LIe web Is Iounded LIuL we Lrunsgress uL our
perII:
! unitersclit, LIe ubIIILy Lo IInk Lo unyLIIng, LIuL conLenL Is
uccessIbIe by unyone
! decentrclisction, you don`L need uuLIorIsuLIon Irom unyone
beIore uddIng u puge or mukIng u IInk
! und net neutrclit, nLerneL ServIce ProvIders cun`L preIer
some duLu LrunsIer - sucI us LIeIr cIIenL`s - over oLIers, LIus
servers Iuve Lo LreuL uII InIormuLIon LIe sume.
ProIessor Byron In Ier zoo8 IndependenL revIew Ius uIreudy IuId
ouL u powerIuI eLIos Ior munugIng rIsk enLuIIed by goIng onIIne: Lo
LIInk Iess ubouL LIe InLerneL 'cuusIng` Iurm, und more IocusIng on
wIuL young peopIe brIng Lo LIese LecInoIogIes, numeIy empowerIng
18
young peopIe wILI LIe skIIIs LIey need Lo munuge LIe rIsks enLuIIed
by InIubILIng LIe dIgILuI worId.
qz
TIe onus musL be on IndIvIduuI
users Lo uppIy cureIuI, reusoned judgmenLs.
TIIs Is wIy LIe concepL oI dIgILuI IILerucy Is exLremeIy ImporLunL.
DIgILuI IILerucy Ius been deIIned us 'LIe skIIIs, knowIedge, und
undersLundIng LIuL enubIes crILIcuI, creuLIve, dIscernIng und suIe
prucLIces wIen engugIng wILI dIgILuI LecInoIogIes In uII ureus oI
IIIe.`
q
L comprIses severuI dIIIerenL eIemenLs, Irom e-suIeLy,
creuLIvILy, LecInIcuI skIIIs, und cuILuruI undersLundIng.
qq

One ImporLunL eIemenL oI dIgILuI IILerucy Is wIuL we Iuve Lermed
diitcl jluenc: LIe ubIIILy Lo IInd und crILIcuIIy evuIuuLe onIIne
InIormuLIon.
q
TIIs requIres u combInuLIon oI new und oId
LecInIques: u mIx oI LIe cIussIc Lropes oI uny dIscernIng IIsLorIun or
journuIIsL wILI some very specIIIc knowIedge ubouL Iow LIe InLerneL
IuncLIons.
19
CHAPTER 2 - THE STATE OF DIGITAL FLUENCY
We Iuve used LIe pIruse 'dIgILuI IIuency` Lo descrIbe LIuL
combInuLIon oI crILIcuI LIInkIng, evuIuuLIve skIIIs und specIIIc
knowIedge ubouL onIIne IuncLIons LIuL ure requIred Lo be ubIe Lo
meeL Iuzurds purLIcuIur Lo LIe onIIne reuIm. DIgILuI IIuency reIers Lo
LIe skIIIs necessury Ior LIe IndIvIduuI Lo use LIe InLerneL Lo seurcI,
reLrIeve, conLexLuuIIse, unuIyse, vIsuuIIse und synLIesIse
InIormuLIon eIIecLIveIy. L Ius LIree componenLs:
! Net-scttiness, u prucLIcuI undersLundIng oI LIe wuy LIe
InLerneL works, Ior InsLunce - LIe busIcs oI Iow seurcI
engInes reLurn resuILs, Iow user-generuLed Ieedbuck
IuncLIons, Iow web-sILes ure desIgned und buIIL, Iow IdenLILy
cun be esLubIIsIed und Iuked, Iow Imuges und vIdeos cun be
uILered.
! Criticcl etcluctite techniques, LIe knowIedge und use oI
busIc cIecks, LecInIques und prIncIpIes LIuL cun be uppIIed Lo
ussess LIe LrusLworLIIness und uccurucy oI InIormuLIon.
TIese ure boLI generuI crILIcuI LIInkIng skIIIs (sucI us
wIeLIer users IucL-cIeck, LrIunguIuLe sources, undersLund LIe
dIIIerence beLween quuIILy oI evIdence, seurcI Ior
provenunce, or dIsLInguIsI beLween dIIIerenL quuIILIes oI
InIormuLIon) und specIIIc onIIne skIIIs sucI us Iow IIILer
progrummes work, Iow Lo muke vIdeos und WIkIpedIu`s
process oI peer-edILIng.
! Ditersit, LIe exLenL Lo wIIcI users` onIIne consumpLIon Is
broud, vurIed und dIverse. Do users uccess und consume
dIIIerenL und compeLIng pIeces oI InIormuLIon? Are LIey
uwure oI LIe cognILIve bIuses LIuL we ure exposed Lo? Cun
users IdenLIIy LIe c priori IdeoIogIcuI busIs oI u purLIcuIur
commenL or opInIon pIece, und pIuce IL wILIIn LIe wIder
IubrIc oI u debuLe? Are LIey uwure oI, und do LIey use, LIe
websILes LIuL Iuve grown up specIIIcuIIy Lo counLer LIe urbun
Iegends, Iouxes und scums LIuL LIe InLerneL Ius uIIowed Lo
bIoom?
q6

20

We Iuve conducLed un exLensIve revIew oI evIdence, wIIcI uIIows
us Lo seL ouL LIe sLuLe oI dIgILuI IIuency In LIe UK Loduy uIong LIese
LIree componenLs. n some ureus, LIere Is u Iuck oI reIevunL duLu buL
In oLIers LIere ure very good duLu, sucI us In OIcom`s dIgILuI
IILerucy surveys. n LoLuI, we exumIned 1; pIeces oI reseurcI,
conducLed In LIe UK (wILI some suppIemenLury pupers Irom LIe
US) beLween zoo und zo11.

Net-savviness
KnowIng Iow LIe InLerneL works Is ImporLunL. DIgILuI IIuency reIIes
on undersLundIng Iow websILes ure mude (und copIed), Iow Lo
cIeck wIo IosLs u websILe, Iow seurcI engInes uppIy non-neuLruI
processes Lo IInd you InIormuLIon, LIe ubIIILy Lo recognIse uuLIenLIc
websILes Irom Iuked ones, Iow pIcLures und vIdeo IooLuge cun be
munIpuIuLed, Iow LIe provenunce oI user-generuLed conLenL cun be
Lruced.
SeurcI engInes ure oI purLIcuIur ImporLunce, becuuse oI LIe cenLruI
roIe LIey pIuy In prIorILIsIng LIe InIormuLIon LIuL peopIe vIew.
SeurcI engInes runk resuILs In dIIIerenL wuys, und IL Is ImporLunL Lo
undersLund uL IeusL LIe rudImenLs oI Iow LIey work. IrsL, seurcI
skIIIs ure ImporLunL: subLIe dIIIerences In LIe semunLIc consLrucLIon
oI seurcI querIes, IncIudIng LIe orderIng oI BooIeun operuLors, LIe
use oI synonyms, unLonyms und ubbrevIuLes cun reLurn IugeIy
dIIIerenL resuILs. Second, IL`s Is ImporLunL Lo know LIe nuLure oI LIe
reLurns Lo LIese seurcIes. TIe mecIunIsms oI seurcI engInes cun be
- und oILen ure by PR ugencIes - munIpuIuLed Lo InIIuLe LIe
reIevunce oI websILes, u IILLIe IIke un udverLIser IIjuckIng LIe Dewey
DecImuI SysLem. TIere Is uIso u commercIuI eIemenL Lo webpuge
runkIng, und seurcI engInes oILen oIIer 'sponsored IInks` Lo websILes
LIuL puy Lo be eIevuLed. DIIIerenL seurcI engInes uppIy dIIIerenL
mecIunIsms Lo seurcI dIIIerenL Indexes und LIereIore, oI course,
reLurn dIIIerenL resuILs.
q;
No seurcI engIne produces u neuLruI,
deIInILIve, or represenLuLIve reIIecLIon oI wIuL Is on LIe InLerneL.
21
L Is noL cIeur LIuL LIIs compIexILy Is reIIecLed In peopIe`s
undersLundIng oI seurcI engInes. qq per cenL oI 1z-1 yeur oIds wIo
use seurcI engInes muke some Lype oI crILIcuI judgmenL ubouL
seurcI engIne resuILs, LIInkIng LIuL some oI LIe sILes reLurned wIII
be LruLIIuI wIIIe oLIers muy noL be. However, 1 per cenL beIIeve
LIuL II u seurcI engIne IIsLs InIormuLIon LIen IL musL be LruLIIuI und
1 per cenL don`L consIder LIe verucILy oI resuILs buL jusL vIsIL LIe
sILes 'LIey IIke LIe Iook oI`. TIese proporLIons Iuve noL cIunged
sInce zooq, suggesLIng LIuL neurIy IuII oI 1z-1 yeur oIds wIo use
seurcI engIne websILes ure noL crILIcuIIy uwure oI LIe provenunce oI
ILs conLenL.
q8
A LeucIer InLervIewed by Demos Ior LIIs reseurcI
commenLed LIuL:
It ucs noticecble thct the [the children] uould clucs o jor uhcteter
ccme up jirst on the [secrch enine] hit list, cnd tcle thct cs c totcl jcct.
(CT Co-ordInuLor, EnIIeId)

CriticaI evaIuative techniques
AssessIng onIIne InIormuLIon Ior uccurucy or LrusLworLIIness
depends on boLI cIussIc LecInIques oI IucL-cIeckIng und new,
someLImes quILe specIIIc, skIIIs LIuL uppIy LIese LecInIques Lo LIe
InLerneL.
n zooq, InLerneL users ruLed LIe reIIubIIILy und uccurucy oI LIe
InLerneL .6 ouL oI . TIIs compures Lo u . Ior LeIevIsIon, u . Ior
rudIo und u z.q Ior newspupers, mukIng LIe InLerneL LIe mosL
LrusLed medIum.
qq
ProvIders oI InLerneL servIces ure more LrusLed
LIuL LIe peopIe runnIng governmenL, runnIng newspupers or
runnIng mujor corporuLIons.
o

DIgILuI nuLIves ure especIuIIy vuInerubIe Lo over-esLImuLIng LIeIr
crILIcuI ubIIILIes (und LIereIore geL duped) becuuse experIence und
use oI LIe InLerneL seems Lo be LIe prImury IucLor In sIupIng LrusL In
LIe InLerneL.
1
or dIgILuI nuLIves, LIose wIo Iuve grown up wILI LIe
dIgILuI worId, LrusL Is IIgI. GeneruIIy, InLerneL users LrusL In LIeIr
own evuIuuLIve skIIIs: 8q per cenL IeIL IuIrIy or very conIIdenL In
LIeIr usuge.
22
BuL LIIs conIIdence mIgIL be mIspIuced. OnIy per cenL oI q-1q
yeur oIds Iuve been LuugIL Iow Lo judge LIe reIIubIIILy oI onIIne
InIormuLIon.
z
n zoo, o per cenL oI q-1q yeur oId pupIIs reporL
IuvIng receIved no Iessons uL uII on usIng LIe InLerneL.

Muny young peopIe do noL know Iow eusIIy LIey cun be
munIpuIuLed, und do IILLIe Lo ensure LIuL LIey ure noL. One recenL
survey usked wIuL cIecks cIIIdren uged 1z-1 wIo use LIe InLerneL
uL Iome uppIy beIore vIsILIng u new websILe. Around u quurLer suId
LIey mude no cIecks uL uII. OnIy 8 per cenL oI 1z-1 yeur oId cIeck
wIo creuLed LIe sILe und wIy; onIy 1; per cenL compure InIormuLIon
ucross sILes; und z6 per cenL usk someone eIse II LIey Iuve been Lo
LIe websILe.
q

TIe 'cIecks` LIuL ure mude cun be superIIcIuI: sucI us wIeLIer LIe
websILe Iooks und IeeIs IegILImuLe. ReseurcI Ius reveuIed
InIormuLIon quuIILy does noL uppeur Lo be oI sIgnIIIcunce Lo muny
dIgILuI nuLIves, und LIuL decIsIons ubouL InIormuLIon quuIILy Is
bused on sILe desIgn, ruLIer LIun more uccuruLe cIecks.

TrusL In LIe InLerneL Is noL ubsoIuLe und unreserved oI course. A
zoo sLudy sIowed LIuL 8 per cenL oI pupIIs uged q-1q LrusL mosL
oI LIe InIormuLIon oI LIe InLerneL, qq per cenL LrusL some oI IL, und
onIy 1o per cenL ure skepLIcuI ubouL mucI oI LIe InIormuLIon
onIIne.
6
One sLudy sIowed LIuL wIIIsL peopIe ruLed LIeIr
conIIdence In LIe reIIubIIILy oI onIIne InIormuLIon us 6 ouL oI 1o,
onIy per cenL oI respondenLs expressed LoLuI conIIdence,
suggesLIng recognILIon oI some oI LIe possIbIe bIuses und
InuccurucIes.
;

CIIIdren ure uIso ubIe Lo rudImenLurIIy dIscern quuIILy oI
InIormuLIon. or exumpIe, In LIe 8-11 und 1z-1 uge groups,
cIIIdren ure more IIkeIy Lo beIIeve LIuL documenLury or news
progrummes ure u beLLer reIIecLIon oI reuI IIIe LIun reuIILy TV
progrummes sucI us BIg BroLIer.
8
SomeLIIng sImIIur occurs
onIIne, Loo. 1z-1 yeur oIds ure more IIkeIy Lo beIIeve LIuL mosL oI
LIe InIormuLIon uvuIIubIe on news sILes Is Lrue (8; per cenL) und
sILes used Ior Iomework (88 per cenL), LIun bIogs or user generuLed
sILes (q8 per cenL). TIere ure no dIIIerences In beIIeI by gender or by
23
socIo-economIc group und LIere Ius been no cIunge In uLLILudes
umong 1z-1 yeur oIds sInce zooq.
q

ReseurcI conducLed by uLureIub suggesLed LIuL LeucIers ure
IncreusIngIy compIuInIng oI 'cuL und pusLe syndrome` - wIere
sLudenLs ure sLruggIIng Lo IInd InIormuLIon onIIne, und ure sImpIy
copyIng cIunks oI InIormuLIon LIuL Is onIy vugueIy reIevunL, und
wILI wIIcI LIey Iuve noL enguged.
6o
AsIde Irom oLIer Issues - LIIs
Is u mujor probIem In reIuLIon Lo pIugIurIsm. per cenL oI LeucIers
surveyed In zoo8 IeIL LIeIr sLudenLs 'dId noL Iuve suIIIcIenL
undersLundIng oI wIuL pIugIurIsm wus und wIuL counLs us
IegILImuLe reseurcI`.
61

TIere ure uIso suggesLIons LIuL LIe dIIIerenL wuy we consume
InIormuLIon on LIe InLerneL mIIILuLes uguInsL LIe crILIcuIILy oI deep,
sIngIe-source reudIng. We 'bounce`, vIsILIng onIy one Lo LIree puges
Irom LIe LIousunds LIuL ure uvuIIubIe, propeIIed uIong by powerIuI
seurcI engInes. We uIso 'skILLer`, vIewIng more LIun reudIng. An
urLIcIe Is on uveruge vIewed Ior uround IIve mInuLes, und summurIes
ure reud mucI more LIun LIe IuII conLenL. TIe user moves
IorIzonLuIIy ucross LIe InLerneL, wILI IrequenL und IIgIL conLucLs
ruLIer LIun progressIveIy deeper reseurcI oI u sIngIe source.
6z
TIIs
Is 'ussocIuLIve` ruLIer LIun 'IIneur` LIInkIng.
6

Evidence: diversity and variety
L Is un essenLIuI und underIyIng LeneL oI LIe pIIIosopIy oI scIence
LIuL Lo esLubIIsI u ruIe, we musL Lry Lo prove IL IuIse. TIIs Is KurI
Popper`s Iumous 'IuIsIIIubIIILy` LesL.
6q
However, peopIe don`L uIwuys
work IIke LIuL. n IucL, we Lend Lo do LIe precIse opposILe.
6

Numerous sLudIes Iuve sIown LIuL we seurcI Ior evIdence Lo prove
our LIeorIes, und wunL Lo beIIeve we Iuve Iound IL; LIuL we ure more
uwure oI IIuws In sLudIes LIuL presenL evIdence LIuL cIuIIenge our
beIIeIs LIun LIose LIuL conIIrm LIem; und LIuL we ure InIIuenced
enormousIy by wIuL peopIe uround us ure suyIng und doIng.
66
n
sIorL, wIen IL comes Lo ussessIng InIormuLIon und urrIvIng uL
decIsIons, Iumun beIngs ure very rureIy enLIreIy IogIcuI, deducLIve
und ruLIonuI.
24
TIe Iumun predIIecLIon Ior 'IomopIIIy` - LIe prIncIpIe LIuL
sImIIurILy breeds connecLIon - In socIuI neLworks generuIIy Is weII
evIdenced.
6;
SocIuI medIu muy exucerbuLe LIe probIem. One oI LIe
wuys In wIIcI peopIe munuge LIeIr InLerneL consumpLIon Is LIrougI
LIe 'socIuI web` - u seIecLIon oI IIILerIng, grudIng und orderIng sILes.
TIere ure muny new progrummes und IIILers LIuL IeIp peopIe Lo
dIsLInguIsI beLween InIormuLIon oI vuryIng quuIILy. Cuss SunsLeIn
Ius urgued LIuL peopIe IncreusIngIy LuIIor LIeIr own consumpLIon Lo
muLcI LIeIr preIerences, u new Iorm oI newspuper Ie cuIIs LIe Dcil
Me.
68

TIe generuI Lrend Lowurd InLerneL personuIIsuLIon meuns we ure
seeIng LIe World Wide Me Loo. EII PurIser`s IuLesL work, Ior
InsLunce, IndIcuLes LIuL us seurcI engInes, onIIne reLuIIers und socIuI
medIu IncreusIngIy IIILer uccordIng Lo LIeIr InLImuLe InsIgIL oI wIo
we ure und wIuL we IIke, we IncreusIngIy IIve In our own, cusLom-
mude 'IIILer bubbIes`, or u 'unIque unIverse oI InIormuLIon Ior eucI
oI us`.
6q

BeIng surrounded by guLe-keepers pre-empLIng our decIsIons ubouL
LIe kInds oI InIormuLIon we wunL Lo see - wIuL PurIser cuIIs
'InvIsIbIe uuLo-propugundu` - Ius serIous consequences. TIe
possIbIIILy oI serendIpILy - oI IorLuILousIy sLumbIIng ucross
someLIIng one dIdn`L expecL - decreuses. GoogIe Is deveIopIng u
SerendIpILy SeurcI EngIne, uILIougI LIIs seems Lo consLILuLe
GoogIe knowIng enougI ubouL our preIerences Lo know ubouL
LIIngs LIuL we do noL know buL wouId IIke Lo.
;o
More serIousIy, und
Luken Lo exLremes, noL beIng conIronLed by uILernuLIve news, Ideus,
or vIewpoInLs cun be dungerous - IeudIng Lo greuLer poIurIsuLIon,
even rudIcuIIsuLIon, oI poIILIcuI vIews.
;1
Cuss SunsLeIn cuIIs LIIs
'group poIurIsuLIon` - wIere IIke mInded-peopIe, uILer dIscussIng,
conIIrmIng und vuIIduLIng LIese posILIons, uII end up LukIng u
posILIon more exLreme LIun uny sLurLed wILI.
;z
As peopIe`s vIews
IInd socIuI encourugemenL, LIey become more conIIdenL IoIdIng u
more exLreme posILIon. TIIs Ius been evIdenced LIrougI Iundreds
oI sLudIes.
;
Muny cuuLIon, SunsLeIn IncIuded, LIuL LIese processes
ure IncreusIngIy IuppenIng In InLerneL Iorums.
25
However, SunsLeIn et cl ure noL wILIouL LIeIr crILIcs. One Pew
survey sIowed LIuL peopIe wIo geL LIeIr news onIIne Iud u more
dIverse vIew oI poIILIcuI Issues LIun LIose wIo goL IL oIIIIne.
;q

MuLLIew GenLzkow wroLe u sLudy LIuL Iound LIuL peopIe wILI
reIuLIveIy exLreme poIILIcuI vIews noL onIy vIewed more exLreme
sILes, buL uIso spenL more LIme on cenLrIsL sILes und even sILes LIuL
dIverged wILI LIeIr poInLs oI vIew: 'TIere Is noL u IoL oI evIdence Ior
ecIo cIumbers - LIuL IIberuIs onIy reud IIberuI sLuII, wIIIe
conservuLIves onIy reud conservuLIve sLuII.`
;

UsIng IndIces Luken Irom LIe IILeruLure on rucIuI segreguLIon Lo
meusure 'conservuLIve exposure` In vurIous Iorms oI IILeruLure, LIe
sLudy Iound 'no evIdence LIuL LIe InLerneL Is becomIng more
segreguLed over LIme.`
;6
OI course, LIIs muy noL be reIevunL unywuy.
SurILu YurdI und DunuI Boyd unuIysed o,ooo LweeLs ubouL LIe
sIooLIng oI George TIIIer, LIe IuLe-Lerm uborLIon docLor. TIey Iound
LIuL, IookIng uL LIe conversuLIons umong pro-IIIe und pro-cIoIce
proponenLs, repIIes beLween IIke-mInded IndIvIduuIs sLrengLIen
group IdenLILy, wIIIsL repIIes beLween IndIvIduuIs oI dIIIerenL
posILIons reInIorce In-group und ouL-group uIIIIIuLIon. Even wIen
exposed Lo brouder vIewpoInLs und urgumenLs, peopIe cun be
IImILed In LIeIr ubIIILy Lo enguge In meunIngIuI dIscussIon.
;;

26
G"H#I#7#C%/.#/+9('6#!"#"$%&'!"()*+$",-#%&(#G",(#C5.%+)-.#
TIe creuLIve desIgn ugency BoId CreuLIve run u projecL cuIIed
Diitcl Disruption. WorrIed ubouL LIe escuIuLIon oI pubIIc dIsorder
us u resuIL oI onIIne propugundu (sucI us LIe zooq Hurrow Mosque
rIoLs, wIere u coIIee sIop wus LrusIed becuuse IL wus suspecLed oI
IundIng LIe oppressIon oI MusIIms In LIe MIddIe EusL) LIe projecL
uIms Lo equIp young peopIe wILI LIe skIIIs LIey need Lo crILIcuIIy
unuIyse messuges onIIne. BoId CreuLIve Ius deveIoped onIIne vIruI
IIIms wILI u group oI Leenugers Irom MIIe End expIorIng Iow onIIne
IIIms uIIecLed LIeIr peers, Iow InIIuenLIuI onIIne medIu wus, Iow
vuInerubIe young peopIe were Lo LIIs kInd oI munIpuIuLIon und wIuL
young peopIe need Lo know Lo proLecL LIemseIves. One oI LIe IIIms,
propuguLIng u deIIberuLeIy bogus LIeory oI u governmenL cover-up -
'TIe VumpIre ConspIrucy` becume embedded InLo conspIrucy sILes
und Iorums LIrougIouL LIe InLerneL. A 'reveuI` LIen sIowed oLIer
young peopIe Iow eusy IL wus Lo be IooIed by LIIs vIdeo. BoId
CreuLIve`s upproucI Is ImporLunL becuuse IL does noL LeII young
peopIe wIuL Lo LIInk, buL LrIes Lo promoLe crILIcuI und IndependenL
LIougIL LIrougI exposIng und deconsLrucLIng LIe LecInIques LIuL
cun be used Lo munIpuIuLe LIem.
27
CHAPTER 3 - WHAT THE TEACHERS THINK
BeLween Muy 16
LI
und June o
LI
zo11, Demos conducLed u survey oI
prImury und secondury scIooI LeucIers In EngIund und WuIes ubouL
LIeIr vIews on LIeIr pupIIs` dIgILuI judgmenL, und Iow IL mIgIL be
LuugIL In scIooI. TIrougI u LurgeLed snowbuII sumpIIng LecInIque,
we receIved oq responses. TIIs Is LIe IurgesL survey oI ILs kInd ever
conducLed. A IuII meLIodoIogy Is uvuIIubIe In LIe unnex. As we
noLed In LIe execuLIve summury, LIe resuILs sIouId be seen us un
expIoruLIon oI broud Lrends In LeucIers` uLLILudes Lowurds u serIes oI
Lrends. L Is noL, und sIouId noL be seen us, u perIecLIy
represenLuLIve sumpIe oI LeucIers.
We presenL LIe overuII duLu beIow, und In pIuces presenL some
sImpIe cross-LubuIuLIons Lo deLermIne II purLIcuIur sub-groups oI
our sumpIe responded In u sIgnIIIcunLIy dIIIerenL wuy Lo LIe LoLuI
sumpIe. As noLed In LIe meLIodoIogy, u posL-sLruLIIIcuLIon
weIgILIng wus uppIIed uccordIng Lo subjecL LuugIL, on quesLIons
wIere LIere wus u vurIuLIon oI LwIce LIe sLundurd devIuLIon
(quesLIons q, u, c, d, ;u, ;d, und qc - see LIe IIsL oI quesLIons In
LIe unnex). PosL-weIgILIng percenLuges Ior LIese quesLIons ure
gIven In bruckeLs.

Demographics
We usked LeucIers LIeIr mosL recenL LeucIIng posILIon, LIe subjecL
LIey LuugIL, und wIuL IeveI LIey LuugIL uL (n=qq).
TIe mosL common posILIon IeId wus oI secondury scIooI LeucIer
(q per cenL), und IeveI oI senIorILy wus Ieud oI depurLmenL (z; per
cenL). TIe mosL common LeucIer subjecL Is EngIIsI (zq per cenL),
reIIgIous educuLIon (z6 per cenL) und muLIemuLIcs (zz per cenL).
8o percenL LeucI uL Key SLuge q, 8o per cenL uL Key SLuge , und 1
per cenL uL A or AJS IeveI. SmuIIer numbers LeucI uL Key SLuges 1
und z, or provIde vocuLIonuI LruInIng und uduIL educuLIon.
28
Internet and schooI
PurLIcIpunLs were usked Iow ImporLunL LIey regurd InLerneL-bused
reseurcI Ior LIeIr sLudenLs` scIooIwork (n=qoo).

J.5'#)$0"5+%&+#
K9)+.#
)$0"5+%&+#
K9)+.#
9&)$0"5+%&+#
J.5'#
9&)$0"5+%&+# 8*4&2'94*/#
!"+%,#/%$0,.#
8.o%
(6.6%)
o.8%
(1.q%)
q.o%
(q.o%)
z.o%
(z.z%)
o.%
(o.z%)

PurLIcIpunLs were usked Iow ImporLunL LIey regurd InLerneL-bused
conLenL Lo be In LIe IormuLIon und vuIIduLIon oI LIe beIIeIs LIeIr
sLudenLs IoId (n=qoq).

J.5'#
)$0"5+%&+#
K9)+.#
)$0"5+%&+#
K9)+.#
9&)$0"5+%&+#
J.5'#
9&)$0"5+%&+#
8*4&2'
3&"?#
!"+%,#
/%$0,.#
zz.% q.z% 16.1% z.% .o%

PurLIcIpunLs were usked wIeLIer LIey Iud ever experIenced u
number oI InLerneL reIuLed Issues In LIe cIussroom, und II so, Iow
oILen. (n=qzz)

L&#%#
(%),'#
>%/)/#
L&#%#
?..3,'#
>%/)/#
L&#%#
$"&+2,'#
>%/)/#
L11%/)"&
F%,,'#
B.-.5#
8*4&2'
3&"?#
M.+#)&+.5&.+#>%/.(#
5./.%512#4"5#
2"$.?"53#
.1%
(1.1%)
zq.%
(z.8%)
1.;%
(z.q%)
.1%
(6.;%)
.%
(11.1%)
o.z%
(o.o%)
M+9(.&+/#>5)&*#
)&4"5$%+)"&#+2.'#
2%-.#()/1"-.5.(#45"$#
+2.#)&+.5&.+#)&+"#1,%//#
()/19//)"&/#
.% z;.6% z;.1% 6.z% .8% o.o%
29

LeveI of pupiIs' digitaI fIuency
We provIded purLIcIpunLs wILI u deIInILIon oI dIgILuI IIuency LIuL
wus used LIrougIouL LIe survey. TIIs wus 'LIe ubIIILy Lo crILIcuIIy
ussess und undersLund dIIIerenL sources oI onIIne InIormuLIon.`
;8

We usked purLIcIpunLs II LIey LIougIL dIgILuI IIuency, deIIned ubove
wus un ImporLunL skIII Lo possess (n=q11).

J.5'#
)$0"5+%&+#
K9)+.#
)$0"5+%&+#
K9)+.#
N&)$0"5+%&+#
J.5'#
9&)$0"5+%&+#
8*4&2'
3&"?#
!"+%,#
/%$0,.#
;q.8% 1q.% o.;% o.o% o.o%

We usked purLIcIpunLs II uny oI LIe IoIIowIng LIIngs Iud occurred In
LIeIr cIussroom, und II so Iow IrequenLIy (n=qzz).

@%),'#
>%/)/#
O..3,'#
>%/)/#
<"&+2,'#
>%/)/#
L11%/)"F
&%,,'#
B.-.5#
@*4&2'
3&"?#
P&1"9&+.5#%5*9$.&+/#
?)+2)&#,.//"&/#"5#
/9>$)++.(#/12"",?"53#
+2%+#1"&+%)&#)&%1195%+.#
)&+.5&.+F>%/.(#1"&+.&+#
'"9#5.*%5(#%/#>.)&*#
(.,)>.5%+.,'#0%13%*.(#>'#
+2.#05"(91.5/#+"#>.#
$)/,.%()&*#"5#(.1.)+49,#
Q4"5#.H%$0,.=#2","1%9/+#
(.&)%,)/$#0%13%*.(#+"#>.#
5%()1%,#2)/+"5)1%,#
5.-)/)"&)/$R
1.;%
(1.1%)
8.q%
(6.1%)
;.;%
(q.o%)
q1.%
(.8%)
.%
(q;.;%)
q.8%
(.z%)
P&1"9&+.5#%5*9$.&+/#
?)+2)&#,.//"&/#5.,%+)&*#+"#
1"&/0)5%1'#+2."5)./#
o.%
(o.%)
;.q%
(q.8%)
1z.%
(;.%)
;.8%
(.;%)
.1%
(q1.%)
.q%
(1o.1%)

30

We usked purLIcIpunLs Lo ruLe LIeIr pupIIs` dIgILuI IIuency ucross u
number oI domuIns.

PH1.,,.&+# S""(# 7-.5%*.# E""5#
J.5'#
0""5#
8*4&2'
3&"?#
N&(.5/+%&(#2"?#
/.%512#.&*)&./#"0.5%+.#
1.;%
(11.6%)
.%
(.6%)
o.q%
(z.q%)
1z.q%
(1.;%)
z.%
(.1%)
.q%
(.1%)
N&(.5/+%&(#+2.#
()44.5.&1.#)&#89%,)+'#"4#
)&4"5$%+)"&=#4"5#
.H%$0,.#>.+?..&#
/+%+)/+)1/#%&(#
%&.1("+./#
z.z% 1.q% ;.o% .% 8.;% z.q%
700,'#4%1+F12.13/#"5#
"+2.5#/"951.#
-.5)4)1%+)"&#"&#+2.#
"&,)&.#)&4"5$%+)"&#
+2.'#1"&/9$.#
1.z% ;.o% zq.% qq.8% 1q.% .1%
T.1"*&)/.#>)%/#"5#
05"0%*%&(%#
1.o%
(o.q%)
1q.o%
(8.q%)
.1%
(q.8%)
8.q%
(8.%)
11.6%
(1q.8%)
1.q%
(z.8%)
J)/)+#%#?)(.#-%5).+'#"4#
?.>/)+./#?)+2#()44.5.&+#
0.5/0.1+)-./#
z.z% 11.1% z.z% 6.% 1.1% .1%

31
WIen uveruge ruLIngs ure Luken (1 beIng 'exceIIenL`, beIng 'very
poor`), IL Is possIbIe Lo runk LIese skIIIs uccordIng Lo LIeIr IeveI oI
perceIved proIIcIency:

;&+.5&.+#M3),,# 7-.5%*.#T%+)&*#
UndersLund Iow seurcI engInes operuLe z.;
UndersLund LIe dIIIerence In quuIILy oI
InIormuLIon, Ior exumpIe beLween sLuLIsLIcs und
unecdoLes
.
RecognIse bIus or propugundu .q
VIsIL u wIde vurIeLy oI websILes wILI dIIIerenL
perspecLIves
.
AppIy IucL-cIecks or oLIer source verIIIcuLIon on
LIe onIIne InIormuLIon LIey consume
.;;

Hence, LeucIers LIougIL LIeIr sLudenLs besL ubIe Lo undersLund Iow
seurcI engInes operuLe, und IeusL ubIe Lo uppIy IucL-cIecks or source
verIIIcuLIon. WILI un 'uveruge` proIIcIency scorIng u , LeucIers
LIougIL, wILI LIe excepLIon oI undersLundIng Iow u seurcI engIne
works, LIuL LIeIr pupIIs were beIow uveruge uL uII oLIer skIIIs.

32
Teaching digitaI fIuency
We usked purLIcIpunLs wIeLIer dIgILuI IIuency Is LuugIL In LIeIr
scIooIs, und wIeLIer oLIer Lypes oI crILIcuI LIInkIng Is LuugIL In
LIeIr scIooIs (n=q16).

U./#7#%#,"+# U./#7#%#,)++,.# B"# 8*4&2'94*/#
@)*)+%,#4,9.&1'# 1o.1% q.q% 1q.o% 1.q%
L+2.5#15)+)1%,#
+2)&3)&*#
q.z% .% q.6% .6%

We usked purLIcIpunLs II LIey LIougIL dIgILuI IIuency sIouId be
gIven greuLer promInence In LIe nuLIonuI currIcuIum; und II so Iow
mucI more (n=q1z).

U./#7#%#,"+# U./#7#%#,)++,.#
B"#7#)+#)/#
%>"9+#5)*2+#
B"#7#+2.5.#)/#
+""#$912#
%,5.%('#
8*4&2'
3&"?#
!"+%,#
/%$0,.#
#
q8.8%
(o.%)
8.%
(;.%)
11.q%
(1o.6%)
1.%
(o.%)
z.q%
(1.1%)

We usked purLIcIpunLs II LIey IeIL conIIdenL LeucIIng LIe subjecL
LIemseIves (n=q1z).

J.5'#
1"&4)(.&+#
K9)+.#
1"&4)(.&+#
K9)+.#
9&1"&4)(.&+#
J.5'#
9&1"&4)(.&+#
B"+#
%00,)1%>,.#
!"+%,#/%$0,.# zq.o% .6% 18.z% .q% o.;%

33
nLeresLIngIy, wIen usked In wIuL subjecL dIgILuI IIuency mIgIL be
LuugIL, LIere wus u remurkubIe urruy oI dIIIerenL subjecLs proposed.
TIe mosL popuIur response wus (perIups unsurprIsIngIy)
nIormuLIon TecInoIogy, wILI 8o per cenL. BuL u very Iurge number
oI subjecLs uIso scored very IIgIIy: EngIIsI (8o per cenL), HIsLory
(;q per cenL), CILIzensIIp (;z per cenL), ReIIgIous EducuLIon (6q per
cenL) und PoIILIcs (6z per cenL). TIIs suggesLs LIuL LeucIers IeIL LIuL
dIgILuI IIuency Is u core compeLency, one LIuL sIouId be LuugIL
ucross severuI subjecLs. As one LeucIer InLervIewed by Demos
commenLed:
It's quite dijjicult [to tecch Diitcl Litercc] beccuse ou cre declin
uith somethin thct is clecrl cross-curriculcr. The cbilit to ence
uith the internet ejjectitel is somethin thct is reletcnt to cll subjects
Andrew Ryun, EngIIsI LeucIer, MeIIow une ScIooI

Assistance needed
TIe IInuI quesLIon In our survey reIuLed Lo LIe ussIsLunce LIuL
LeucIers LIougIL LIey wouId need II LIey were Lo LeucI dIgILuI
IILerucy In LIeIr scIooI.
TIe responses were open. We coded LIem munuuIIy InLo groups.
TIe InLenL Is Lo IndIcuLIveIy sIow LeucIers` opInIons ubouL LIe besL
wuys Iorwurd, Ience, wIen some LeucIers guve more LIun one
response, LIese were LreuLed us sepuruLe responses.
B9$>.5#"4#T./0"&/./#
E5"0"5+)"&#"4#+"+%,#
5./0"&/./#
!5%)&)&*# 8 .8%
!.%12)&*#5./"951./# 1 zq.z%
!)$.#)&#+2.#1955)19,9$# 18 16.q%
T.4.5.&1.#$%+.5)%,/# 11 1o.q%
;C!#)&45%/+591+95.# 8 ;.%

34
TruInIng wus mosL popuIurIy regurded Lo be necessury Ior dIgILuI
IIuency LeucIIng. Even some experIenced LeucIers wunLed u
LIorougI deveIopmenL regIme:
Eten cs c slilled Medic Studies teccher, I jeel I uould ucnt trcinin. I
thinl I lnou (more or less) hou secrch enines uorl cnd hou to et the
!"#$%&'()*+('%#",&-'#%.+,$/%$0*$1#%"2(3%$0&",40%5'&#"2*(%$&)*(%*26%'&&"&%
cnd explorction.
Secondury ScIooI, Heud oI DepurLmenL

TIere wus dIvIsIon over wIeLIer LIe LruInIng couId be conducLed In-
Iouse (und wus LIereIore more u quesLIon oI LIme, Ior InsLunce nseL
Duys uIIocuLIon) or wIeLIer exLernuI supervIsIon wus requIred.
However, LIere wus ugreemenL LIuL LIe LruInIng sIouId boLI be
generuI und subjecL-specIIIc - wILI boLI generuI prIncIpIes oI dIgILuI
IIuency, und uIso Iow dIgILuI IIuency LeucIIng couId be InLegruLed Lo
LIeIr specIIIc subjecL ureus.
TeucIers IeIL u runge oI muLerIuIs wouId be ImporLunL. TIese wouId
IncIude sLruLegIc documenLs - sucI us u dIgILuI IIuency syIIubus und
expIunuLIon oI conLexL - und uIso cIussroom-specIIIc muLerIuI,
IncIudIng scIemes oI work, suggesLed upproucIes, worksIeeLs,
exumpIes, und wrILLen muLerIuIs on deLecLIng bIus und verIIIcuLIon
sLruLegIes. CompurIsons oI InIormuLIon und mIsInIormuLIon, purLIuI
und ImpurLIuI websILes were LIougIL Lo be purLIcuIurIy IeIpIuI, wILI
'IInks Lo resources wIIcI compure LIe conLenL on u purLIcuIur uspecL
buL Irom dIIIerenL ungIes` (CT und BusIness SLudIes, Secondury
ScIooI). One LeucIer suggesLed LIuL LIIs couId be ucIIeved LIrougI
'resources on LIe InLerneL - mock ups perIups` (KSz, Heud oI Yeur).
Muny suggesLed muLerIuIs und LeucIIng uIds wouId be mosL IeIpIuI
II LIey were IosLed onIIne, und unIversuIIy uccessIbIe. Some
suggesLed uII muLerIuIs sIouId be orgunIsed uround 'consLrucLed
websILes LIuL provIde u conLexL Ior LeucIIng dIgILuI IILerucy . In un
InLerucLIve wuy` (KS1Jz, DepuLy Heud). Some suggesLed LIuL LIe
muLerIuI be subjecL-specIIIc, expIoILIng LIe dIgILuI IIuency IeurnIng
opporLunILIes In eucI subjecL. OLIers LIougIL u 'syIIubus oI
35
nuLIonuIIy ugreed conLenL` (KSJq, DepuLy Heud TeucIer) wouId be
more useIuI.
A smuIIer, buL sLIII sIgnIIIcunL number oI LeucIers LIougIL LIuL LIme
In un oLIerwIse uIreudy crowded currIcuIum wus LIe onIy burrIer:
Ij uritten into the curriculum I could ecsil put cside c lesson jor
discussin diitcl litercc cnd hou to ejjectitel use the internet jor
resecrch
Secondury scIooI, DesIgn & TecInoIogy LeucIer

Muny suggesLed LIuL dIgILuI IIuency sIouId Iuve u sLruLegIc, 'wIoIe
oI scIooI` ImpIemenLuLIon - wILI IeurnIng opporLunILIes sougIL In
eucI subjecL: 'DIgILuI IILerucy needs Lo be embedded In uII ureus oI
LIe currIcuIum by LeucIers und senIor munugers!`(GeogrupIy, CT
und PE, DepuLy Heud).
As u Heud oI DepurLmenL commenLed:
Tecchers [need] to reconise the importcnce oj diitcl litercc cnd
*55(3%)$%$"%$0')&%#,+7'-$%*26%2"$%$0)28%)$1#%$0'%7"+%"9%$0'%:;%6'5*&$!'2$%%
or Enlishl

InuIIy, u dIsLurbIng mInorILy oI LeucIers reporLed u Iuck oI busIc
CT InIrusLrucLure, or uccess Lo compuLersJIupLops on u reguIur
busIs, wILI upproprIuLe soILwure und reIIubIe InLerneL uccess. OLIer
orgunIsuLIons, noLubIy LIe E-IeurnIng ounduLIon, Iuve poInLed Lo
LIe 'DIgILuI DIvIde` - u Iuck oI uccess Lo compuLers und LIe InLerneL
- us u pernIcIous und ImporLunL kInd oI InequuIILy.
;q
ObvIousIy, no
umounL oI dIgILuI IIuency LeucIIng cun IeIp sLudenLs Ieveruge LIe
InLerneL us u IeurnIng uId II LIey cunnoL uccess IL.
36
ANNEX - METHODOLOGY

Survey Design
PrIor Lo LIe udmInIsLruLIon oI LIe survey, LIe quesLIons were sLress-
LesLed by LIe reseurcI Leum Ior reIevunce Lo LIe exIsLIng IILeruLure
on dIgILuI IILerucy. TIe proLoLype survey wus LIen pIIoLed on u smuII
number oI LeucIers, Lo LesL Ior Lrunspurency oI reseurcI purpose,
cIurILy oI quesLIonIng, und euse oI unswerIng. CIunges were mude
uccordIng Lo LeucIer Ieedbuck, und upproved by LIe reseurcI Ieuder.
TIe IInuI survey conLuIned 1q quesLIons (wILI dIvIded InLo sub-
quesLIons) orgunIsed uround LIe broud LIemes oI demogrupIIcsJ
roIe oI LIe LeucIer, ImporLunce oI LIe InLerneL, exLenL oI evIdence oI
Iuck oI dIgILuI IIuency und possIbIe sLeps Iorwurd. TIe quesLIonnuIre
Is IncIuded In IuII uL LIe end oI LIIs puper.
Survey SampIing
TIe survey wus un InLerneL survey, IosLed by Surte Monle
(www.surveymonkey.com), wIIcI uIIows respondenLs Lo compIeLe
LIe survey onIIne (uvuIIubIe uL: ILLps:JJwww.surveymonkey.com
JsJJKXD).
nLerneL-bused surveys ure IImILed by coveruge und sumpIIng
dIIIIcuILIes. L Is noLed, Iowever, LIuL LIe mosL sIgnIIIcunL IImILuLIon
In LIIs respecL occurs wIen InLerneL surveys ure used Ior generuI
popuIuLIon surveys.
8o
TIIs Is muInIy becuuse oI LIe vurIuLIon In
InLerneL coveruge - und euse usIng LIe InLerneL - dIIIers uccordIng
Lo demogrupIIc IndIcuLors, even In counLrIes wILI IIgI overuII
peneLruLIon IeveIs.
However, InLerneL surveys ure consIdered more upproprIuLe Ior
LurgeLed popuIuLIons, sucI us proIessIonuI groups, wIere InLerneL
peneLruLIon Is IIgI (probubIy IIgIer LIun IundIIne LeIepIone
uccess). AILIougI LIere ure no nuLIonuI sLuLIsLIcs on LIe number oI
LeucIers wILI InLerneL uccess, LIe zo11 ONS survey sIows LIuL
uround qo per cenL oI LIose oI workIng uge do use LIe InLerneL.
81

37
Becuuse LIere Is no popuIuLIon sumpIe Irume (e.g. e-muII uddresses
Ior every LeucIer) LIuL wouId uIIow Ior u rundom sumpIe, we
decIded Lo use u 'snowbuIIIng` sumpIIng LecInIque. TIIs sLruLegy
enLuIIs LurgeLIng u wIde sumpIe oI scIooI IocuLIon, scIooI Lype,
LeucIer subjecL ureu, LeucIer uge group und Lype oI scIooI, wILIouL
uImIng Ior u perIecL represenLuLIon oI LIe nuLIonuI coIorL oI
LeucIers. We LIen requesLed LIuL LIose wIo compIeLe LIe survey
puss IL on Lo coIIeugues Lo do IIkewIse.
We IdenLIIIed und recruILed u number oI IndIvIduuIs und scIooIs
spreud ucross geogrupIIcuI regIons, subjecL ureus, uge groups und
Lypes oI scIooI. TIese IndIvIduuIs wouId LIen pubIIcIse LIe survey
LIrougI LIeIr own proIessIonuI neLworks. L wus undersLood LIuL
LIe exLenL oI IocuI peneLruLIon wouId dIIIer. n some pIuces u Iurger
proIessIonuI neLwork couId be Ieveruged - resuILIng In IIgI
numbers oI LeucIers IIIIIng ouL LIe survey. n oLIers LIe
proIessIonuI neLwork wouId be smuIIer, und LIe IocuI dIsLrIbuLIon oI
LIe survey smuIIer. TIe survey dIssemInuLIon Look u number oI
specIIIc Iorms, wILI LIe uIm oI our sLurLIng poInL beIng vurIed und
broudIy represenLuLIve oI LIe overuII LeucIIng proIessIon:
! Internet promotion: we upproucIed u number oI orgunIsuLIons
Lo IncIude udverLIsemenLs on LIeIr websILes. TIIs occurred on
LIe nsLILuLe Ior deus LeucIers Iorum, BoId CreuLIve`s websILe,
LIe Demos websILe, LIe NomIneL TrusL`s websILe und LIe E-
IeurnIng ounduLIon`s websILe.
! Tcreted cdterts throuh Tecch Iirst netuorls: regIonuI
TeucI IrsL neLworks conducL cIrcuIur communIcuLIons Lo uII
members In LIeIr ureu. We receIved conIIrmed LIuL LIe survey
wus pubIIcIsed In u NorLI-WesL ondon muII-ouL, u IverpooI
ureu muII-ouL und u SouLI-EusL regIon muII-ouL.
! Socicl Medic promotion: we upproucIed u number oI IIgI-
vIsIbIIILy groups und IndIvIduuIs Lo pubIIcIse LIe survey LIrougI
LIeIr socIuI medIu presence. A number oI LIese groups und
IndIvIduuIs dId LIIs LIrougI LIeIr ucebook puges und TwILLer
uccounLs.
! Direct Recruitment: we pIuced empIusIs on us dIverse u dIrecL
recruILmenL eIIorL us possIbIe, rungIng Irom IIrsL yeur LeucIers,
Heuds oI DepurLmenLs, PrIncIpuIs und SuppIy TeucIers, und Lo
us muny DepurLmenLs us possIbIe, IncIudIng CT, HumunILIes,
38
ScIence, PE und ArL. We Iud conIIrmed successIuI dIsLrIbuLIons
LIrougIouL LIe scIooI Ior IIve BIrmIngIum Inner-cILy secondury
sLuLe scIooIs, seven ondon Inner-cILy secondury scIooIs, Iour
sLuLe secondury scIooIs In OuLer ondon, Iour ondon prIvuLe
scIooIs, one CumbrIdgesIIre sLuLe secondury scIooI, one eeds
sLuLe secondury scIooI, one ExeLer secondury sLuLe scIooI, one
IverpooI secondury sLuLe scIooI, eIgIL BIrmIngIum sLuLe
prImury scIooIs, Lwo MuncIesLer sLuLe prImury scIooIs, und
LIree CumbrIdgesIIre sLuLe prImury scIooIs.
! Mcilshots: we upproucIed orgunIsuLIons Lo requesL LIuL LIe
survey wus IncIuded In muss emuIIs Lo uII LeucIers on LIeIr
muIIIng IIsLs. TIIs wus successIuIIy done Lo LIe Heuds oI
ReIIgIous SLudIes und PIIIosopIy uL uII EngIIsI sIxLI Iorm
scIooIs und urLIer EducuLIon CoIIeges |n=z8oo|.
L Is ImporLunL Lo noLe LIe weuknesses In LIIs Lype oI sumpIIng
LecInIque. AILIougI LIe sLurLIng poInLs were InLenLIonuIIy vurIed, IL
Is noL possIbIe Lo uscerLuIn LIe IuII dIsLrIbuLIon oI LIe survey beyond
LIe IIrsL poInL oI conLucL. ReseurcI InLo InLerneL sumpIIng sIows
LIuL wIere unIque URs ure provIded Ior eucI possIbIe purLIcIpunL
LIIs uIIows greuLer monILorIng oI wIo responds. Due Lo resource
consLruInLs, we were noL In u posILIon Lo do LIIs. SImIIurIy, IL Ius
been esLubIIsIed LIuL non-response ruLe cun be Improved LIrougI
muII IoIIow up, uILIougI LIIs wus noL possIbIe us LIe sumpIIng
LecInIque used dId noL uIIow Ior LIe IdenLIIIcuLIon oI IndIvIduuI
purLIcIpunLs.
8z

GIven LIe InevILubIe InLroducLIon oI skewed dIsLrIbuLIons und
sLuLIsLIcuI usymmeLrIes due Lo LIe use oI LurgeLed snowbuIIIng, we
underLook some posL-duLu weIgILIng In order Lo muke LIe sumpIe
more represenLuLIve oI LIe LeucIIng proIessIon overuII. However,
due Lo LIe IImILuLIons sLuLed ubove we cunnoL cIuIm wILI conIIdence
LIuL LIe sumpIe Is broudIy represenLuLIve. We consIdered LIuL LIe
sumpIIng meLIod wouId resuIL In u number oI bIuses.
GeographicaI bias
AILIougI we uImed Ior (und ucIIeved) u wIde geogrupIIc spreud oI
survey dIsLrIbuLIon, we judged LIuL u sumpIe perIecLIy
represenLuLIve oI UK geogrupIy wouId noL be necessury. Bused on
our IILeruLure revIew, und un ussessmenL oI nuLIonuI demogrupIIcs,
LIere wus noLIIng Lo IndIcuLe LIuL LeucIer uLLILudes und regIon
39
wouId be bI-vurIuLes. WIIIe u smuII IILeruLure does IndIcuLe LIuL
reIevunL socIo-geogrupIIc InequuIILIes do exIsL (sucI us uccess Lo
CT), our survey wouId onIy be ubIe Lo guLIer duLu by broud regIon,
und noL wILI u grunuIurILy LIuL wouId uIIow us Lo meunIngIuIIy
reIuLe IL Lo LIIs IILeruLure.
8

Teacher subject bias
One oI LIe mujor concerns wus LIuL cerLuIn LeucIers - eILIer
LIrougI cIunce or InIerenL bIus In LIe sLurLIng poInL In our
sumpIIng - wouId be overrepresenLed In our sumpIe. n order Lo
muke our sumpIe more represenLuLIve oI LIe nuLIonuI coIorL oI
LeucIers ucross LIese cIurucLerIsLIcs, we conducLed u posL-coIIecLIon
weIgILIng oI LIe duLu, wIere LIe duLu sIowed sIgnIIIcunL bIus.
To cuIcuIuLe wIeLIer LIere wus sIgnIIIcunL vurIuLIon In LIe duLu seL
uccordIng Lo subjecL LuugIL, we conducLed u LesL Lo cuIcuIuLe LIe
sLundurd devIuLIon Irom LIe norm, uccordIng Lo eucI LeucIer
subjecL response.
JeIke BeLIIeIem, u IeudIng experL on onIIne sumpIIng LecInIques,
Ius suggesLed LIuL reIIubIIILy cun be Increused by posL-sLruLIIIcuLIon
duLu weIgILIng uguInsL oIIIIne demogrupIIcs. n sIorL, LIIs meuns
LIuL II In our sumpIe u cerLuIn LeucIer Lype Is over-represenLed, LIIs
Is correcLed In LIe IInuI percenLuges.
8q
We LIereIore coIIecLed
buseIIne duLu oI LIe LeucIIng proIessIon In EngIund und WuIes, und
re-weIgILIng LIe duLu Lo correcL vurIuLIon. TIIs wus uvuIIubIe Irom
LIe ScIooI WorkIorce Census.
8

TIe proporLIons oI LeucIers by-subjecL oI LIe wIoIe LeucIer
workIorce, gIven In LIe ScIooI WorkIorce Census, und on wIIcI LIe
weIgILIngs ure bused, ure:
40

n LIose quesLIons wIere LIere were responses greuLer LIun LwIce
LIe sLundurd devIuLIon - wIIcI suggesLs ouLIIers -we conducLed u
posL-sLruLIIIcuLIon weIgILIng. TIe IoIIowIng quesLIons requIred re-
weIgILIng: Qq (SD=o.1o); Q.u (SD=o.1q1); Qc (SD=o.z1); Qd
(SD=o.6); Q;u (SD=o.116); Q;d (SD=o.1z); und Qqc
(SD=o.o8). TIe percenLuges sIown In LIe puper ure posL-weIgILed.

SeIf-seIection and non-response rate bias
nLerneL surveys Iuve boLI sLrengLIs und weuknesses In respecL oI
seII-seIecLIon und responseJnon-response bIus. TIe muIn concern Is
LIuL, becuuse LIe survey Is opLIonuI, onIy peopIe wIo ure InLeresLed
In LIe subjecL, or comIorLubIe wILI InLerneL surveys, ure IIkeIy Lo
compIeLe IL (Ior exumpIe, LeucIers wIo LuugIL CT). AII surveys
wIere LIe respondenLs seII-seIecL, us opposed Lo recruILed puneI
surveys, suIIer Irom LIIs poLenLIuI bIus. n order Lo mInImIse LIe
rIsk oI LeucIers seII-seIecLIng, we dIvuIged very IImILed InIormuLIon
ubouL LIe survey beIore uskIng LeucIers Lo compIeLe IL. nLerneL
M9>A.1+#
E5"0"5+)"&#"4#/9>A.1+#+"#.&+)5.#
+.%12.5#?"534"51.#
EngIIsI 1.z%
MuLIemuLIcs 1.;%
ScIence 1.q%
CILIzensIIp q.;%
ReIIgIous EducuLIon 6.%
ArL und DesIgn .1%
GeogrupIy .6%
HIsLory 6.%
CT ;.;%
Modern unguuges 1z.6%
41
surveys ure uIso known Lo Iuve very Iow response ruLe - usuuIIy
beLween o und qo per cenL (uround sIx Lo Len per cenL Iower LIun
oLIer survey modes), buL wILI u very IIgI sLundurd devIuLIon,
suggesLIng response ruLe Is IIgIIy vurIubIe.
86
AILIougI LIIs cun be
Improved LIrougI LIe use oI IncenLIves, none were used In LIIs
survey. Becuuse we do noL know LIe LoLuI number oI vIews LIuL LIIs
survey Iud, we do noL know LIe LoLuI response ruLe. TIIs meuns we
ure noL ubIe Lo correcL Ior non-response ruLe. 8o peopIe sLurLed LIe
survey, und oq ugreed Lo LIe consenL puge. q1z IInIsIed every
quesLIon.
L Is wILI LIese cuveuLs In mInd LIuL we presenL LIIs duLu, und LIe
resuILs sIouId be seen us un expIoruLIon oI Lrends LIuL seL ouL some
generuI LIemes LIuL LeucIers ure concerned ubouL. L Is noL, und
sIouId noL be seen us, u perIecLIy represenLuLIve sumpIe oI LeucIers.

Data AnaIysis
DuLu were unuIysed LIrougI LIe Survey Monkey sILe, wIIcI Ius u
number oI LooIs LIuL uIIows Ior boLI IIILerIng und cross LubuIuLIon.
Becuuse LIe survey Is IndIcuLIve und expIoruLIve, we provIde onIy
buseIIne vILuI sLuLIsLIcs Lo eucI quesLIon usked.
To uId LIe compurIson oI unswers Irom dIIIerenL seIecLed coIorLs
wILIIn our sumpIe, we someLImes presenL LIe resuILs us u quesLIon
'ruLIng`. EucI possIbIe response wus ussIgned u correspondIng
numerIc vuIue, wILI IIgIer Irequency responses receIvIng Iower
ussIgned vuIues. or exumpIe: 'DuIIy busIs` = 1; 'WeekIy busIs` = z;
'MonLIIy busIs` = ; 'OccusIonuIIy` = q; 'Never` = . TIe 'ruLIng` oI
eucI quesLIon Is cuIcuIuLed by dIvIdIng LIe LoLuI udded vuIue oI eucI
respondenL by LIe number oI respondenLs. TIIs LeIIs us LIe
uveruged response Ior LIIs quesLIon. A ruLIng oI 1, Ior exumpIe,
wouId meun every respondenL unswered 'duIIy busIs`, wIIIsL u ruLIng
oI meunL every respondenL unswered 'never`. We removed LIose
wIo unswered 'don`L know` In order Lo uvoId dIsLorLIng LIe process
oI uverugIng.

42
Other considerations
As LIIs reseurcI Iocused on IndIvIduuIs over LIe uge oI 16, no CRB
cIeck wus necessury; consequenLIy, none wus sougIL. SImIIurIy,
InIormed consenL wus noL requIred Irom purLIcIpunL`s
purenLsJguurdIuns us SRA eLIIcs guIdeIInes suggesL sucI cIeurunce
sIouId noL be sougIL und Is noL requIred wIen InvesLIguLIng
purLIcIpunLs uged over 16. ndIvIduuI InIormed consenL wus sougIL
und guIned Irom uII purLIcIpunLs LIemseIves, und wus sIgnIIIed vIu
ugreemenL Lo u consenL sLuLemenL presenLed uL LIe sLurL oI LIe
survey - IuIIure Lo sIgnIIy uccepLunce oI LIIs sLuLemenL prevenLed
IurLIer purLIcIpuLIon In LIe reseurcI.
PurLIcIpunLs were noL IuIIy brIeIed on LIe sLudy`s uIms beIore
compIeLIng LIe survey In order Lo uvoId LIe exIIbILIon oI demund
cIurucLerIsLIcs. OnIy u broud overvIew oI LIe reseurcI wus provIded
uL LIe sLurL oI LIe survey, wILI more deLuIIed InIormuLIon on LIe
reseurcI uIms provIded onIy uILer LIe IusL quesLIon wus been
compIeLed. TIe conLucL deLuIIs oI LIe Ieud reseurcIer were provIded
Lo uII purLIcIpunLs Lo cover LIe evenLuuIILy LIuL LIey Iud quesLIons
noL covered by LIe debrIeI noLes. ew purLIcIpunLs uvuIIed
LIemseIves oI LIIs opLIon.
AII purLIcIpunLs were mude uwure oI LIeIr rIgIL Lo wILIdruw Irom
LIe reseurcI uL uny LIme prIor Lo compIeLIon us purL oI u preIuce
sLuLemenL presenLed on LIe IIrsL puge oI LIe survey. PurLIcIpunLs
were IurLIer remInded oI LIIs rIgIL upon compIeLIon oI LIe survey
vIu u purugrupI In LIe debrIeI noLes, wILI LIeIr InLenLIon Lo
wILIdruw cupubIe oI beIng sIgnIIIed vIu u cIeck box. No purLIcIpunLs
dId LIIs.
ELIIcuI und IeguI consIderuLIons reIevunL Lo LIe sLoruge und
IundIIng oI duLu were uIso observed; uII duLu were kepL dIgILuIIy
encoded, und were desLroyed on compIeLIon oI LIe reseurcI In
compIIunce wILI LIe DuLu ProLecLIon AcL. No duLu cupubIe oI
IdenLIIyIng uny purLIcIpunLs were coIIecLed, und LIe duLu were noL
sIured wILI uny LIIrd purLIes exLernuI Lo LIe reseurcI projecL.
43
FuII Iist of survey questions

1. WIuL Is your currenL posILIon, or II reLIred, mosL recenL
posILIon?
z. WIuL subjecLs ure youJwere you LeucIIng?
. WIuL uge groupJkey sLuge group ure youJwere you LeucIIng?
q. How ImporLunL do you regurd InLerneL-bused reseurcI Ior your
sLudenLs` scIooIwork?
. How oILen does LIe IoIIowIng occur?
u. SeL InLerneL-bused reseurcI Ior Iomework;
SLudenLs brIng InIormuLIon LIey Iuve dIscovered Irom LIe
InLerneL InLo cIuss dIscussIons;
EncounLer urgumenLs wILIIn Iessons or submILLed
scIooIwork LIuL conLuIn InuccuruLe InLerneL-bused conLenL
you regurd us beIng deIIberuLeIy puckuged by LIe producers
Lo be mIsIeudIng or deceILIuI (Ior exumpIe, IoIocuusL
denIuIIsm puckuged Lo be rudIcuI IIsLorIcuI revIsIonIsm);
b. EncounLer urgumenLs wILIIn Iessons reIuLIng Lo
conspIrucy LIeorIes.
6. How ImporLunL do you regurd InLerneL-bused conLenL Lo be In
LIe IormuLIon und vuIIduLIon oI LIe beIIeIs your sLudenLs IoId?
;. We reIer Lo 'dIgILuI IILerucy` us LIe ubIIILy Lo crILIcuIIy ussess und
undersLund dIIIerenL sources oI onIIne InIormuLIon. TIIs Ius
severuI componenLs. As besL you cun, pIeuse ruLe your sLudenLs`
ubIIILy In LIe IoIIowIng compeLencIes wILI reIerence Lo onIIne
muLerIuI:
u. UndersLund Iow seurcI engInes operuLe;
b. UndersLund LIe dIIIerence In quuIILy oI InIormuLIon, Ior
exumpIe beLween sLuLIsLIcs und unecdoLes;
c. AppIy IucL-cIecks or oLIer source verIIIcuLIon on LIe
onIIne InIormuLIon LIey consume;
d. RecognIse bIus or propugundu;
e. VIsIL u vurIeLy oI sources oIIerIng dIIIerenL perspecLIves.
8. KeepIng LIuL deIInILIon oI dIgILuI IILerucy In mInd, pIeuse unswer
LIe IoIIowIng: do you consIder dIgILuI IILerucy Lo be un
ImporLunL skIII Ior young peopIe Lo possess?
q. KeepIng LIuL deIInILIon oI dIgILuI IILerucy In mInd, pIeuse unswer
LIe IoIIowIng:
u. s dIgILuI IILerucy LuugIL In your scIooI?
b. Are oLIer Lypes oI crILIcuI LIInkIng LuugIL In your scIooI?
c. Do you LIInk LIuL dIgILuI IILerucy sIouId be gIven greuLer
promInence wILIIn LIe nuLIonuI currIcuIum?

d. WouId you IeeI conIIdenL LeucIIng your sLudenLs ubouL
44
dIgILuI IILerucy?
1o. WIuL subjecL(s) sIouId LeucI dIgILuI IILerucy (LIck us muny us
you`d IIke)?
11. WIuL supporL wouId you need In LeucIIng dIgILuI IILerucy?
45
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51
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NOTES

1
J Bartlett, C Miller, Power of Unreason, 2010, Demos: London
2
This is a weighted value. Un-weighted, the figure was 59.8 per cent. See the annex for
more information.
3
This is a weighted value. Un-weighted, the figure was 56 per cent. See the annex for
more information.
4
This is a weighted value. Un-weighted, the figure was 85 per cent. See the annex for
more information.
5
Futurelab, Digital Literacy in Practice, 2010, p 34
6
7
8
OfCom, 'UK Children's Media Literacy' (April 2011) p 4,
ILLp:JJsLukeIoIders.oIcom.org.ukJbInurIesJreseurcIJmedIu-IILerucyJmedIu-IIL11JcIIIdrens.pdI

9
Plato, Phaedrus, tr B Jowett (Project Gutenberg, 30 October 2008),
ILLp:JJwww.guLenberg.orgJIIIesJ166J166-IJ166-I.ILm#zH_q_oooz
10
V Bell, 'Don't touch that dial! A history of media technology scares, from the printing
press to Facebook', Slate 15 Feb 2010, ILLp:JJwww.sIuLe.comJIdJzzqq1q8
11
For instance, C Shirky, Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected
Age (Allen Lane, 2010); A Clark Supersizing the Mind: Embodiment, Action and Cognitive
Extension (Oxford University Press 2008); RK Logan The Sixth Language: Learning a Living
in the Internet Age (Stoddart Pub, 2008)
12
For 'Techno-stress', see William Powers in Hamlet's Blackberry. The other terms are
respectively attributable to William van Winkle, David Lewis, Eric Schmidt and Leslie Perlow.
See 'Schumpeter', 'Too much nformation: How to Cope with Data Overload', Economist, June
30
th
2011, ILLp:JJwww.economIsL.comJnodeJ188qq68
13
S Greenfield, 'Facebook and Bebo risk "infantilising the human mind', Guardian, Feb 24
2009, www.guurdIun.co.ukJukJzooqJIebJzqJsocIuI-neLworkIng-sILe-cIungIng-cIIIdrens-
bruIns; S Greenfield, 'Is the web changing our brains?', BBC News, Sep 11 2009,
www.bbc.co.ukJbIogsJdIgILuIrevoIuLIonJzooqJoqJsusun-greenIIeId-Is-LIe-web-cI.sILmI
14
D Gluckman, 'The Virtual Revolution Homo Interneticus?', BBC, 19 Feb 2010,
www.bbc.co.ukJbIogsJdIgILuIrevoIuLIon
15
T Byron, 'Safer Children in a Digital World: The Report of the Byron Review', Byron
Review: Children and New Technology (2008)
16
For a map of the balloon locations, see
ILLp:JJupIoud.wIkImedIu.orgJwIkIpedIuJenJuJuoJDARPABuIIoonMup.jpg
17
JC Tang et al, 'Reflecting on the DARPA Red Balloon Challenge', Communications of
the ACM 54, no 4 (April 2011), ILLp:JJdeIIvery.ucm.orgJ1o.11qJ1qooooJ1qzqqq1Jp;8-
Lung.pdI?key1=1qzqqq1&keyz=88;;o1&coII=D&dI=ACM&Ip=86.z.1.z&CD=zo
oq868&CTOKEN=61oqq;o
18
For an example of a faked photograph, see ILLp:JJLwILpIc.comJsqkun
19
WH Dutton, EJ Helsper, MM Gerber, Oxford Internet Surveys, 'The Internet In Britain
2009', 2009, p 19 and 35
20
Ibid.
21
Office for National Statistics, 'nternet Access 2010: Households and Individuals', 2010
ILLp:JJwww.ons.gov.ukJonsJreIJrdILzJInLerneL-uccess---IouseIoIds-und-
IndIvIduuIsJIIsLorIcuI-InLerneL-uccessJInLerneL-uccess-zo1o-IouseIoIds-und-IndIvIduuIs.pdI
22
A Smith, Pew Internet, 'The Internet and Campaign 2010',
ILLp:JJwww.pewInLerneL.orgJReporLsJzo11JTIe-nLerneL-und-CumpuIgn-zo1oJSecLIon-
zJTIe-InLerneL-und-poIILIcuI-news-sources.uspx
23
J Catone, 'nfographic: The State of the nternet: Summing up 2010', Mashable, 2011,
ILLp:JJmusIubIe.comJzo11Jo1JzJInLerneL-sIze-InIogrupIIc
24
Cited in Digital Natives
25
Catone, 'Infographic: The State of the nternet'
54

26
D Emery, 'The Rise of Hate 2.0', BBC News 22 Jun 2009,
ILLp:JJnews.bbc.co.ukJ1JIIJLecInoIogyJ8oq;q;q.sLm
27
J Giles, 'Internet Encyclopaedias go head to head', Nature 438, 2005, pp 900-901
28
In a landmark legal case, a UK council forced Twitter to unmask the identity of an illegal
blogger. See Channel 4 News, 29 May 2011, ILLp:JJwww.cIunneIq.comJnewsJcouncII-goes-
Lo-us-Lo-Iorce-LwILLer-Lo-unmusk-mr-monkey
29
J Hardwig, 'The Role of Trust in Knowledge', Journal of Philosophy 88 no. 22 (1991).
30
A Vedder and R Wachbroit 'The reliability of information on the internet: some
distinctions', Ethics and Information Technology, 5 (2004) p 211-215
31
OfCom, 'UK Children's Media Literacy', 2011, p 59
32
S Livingstone and M Bober, 'UK Children Go Online: Final Report of Key Project
Findings', London School of Economics and Political Science p 14 (April 2005),
www.Ise.uc.ukJcoIIecLIonsJcIIIdren-go-onIIneJUKCGO_InuI_reporL.pdI
33
Ibid
34
BroadbandGenie, 05 Feb 2010, 'TalkTalk Survey Reveals Inappropriate Web Use by
Children' www.broudbundgenIe.co.ukJnewsJLuIk-LuIk-survey-reveuIs--InupproprIuLe-web-use-
by-cIIIdren (accessed June 2011)
35
M Prensky, 'Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 1', On the Horizon 9, no 5 (October
2001a) p 1-6 (This journal was published by MCB University Press, now Emerald)
36
See Mark Robert's exhaustive minute-by-minute debunking of the film 'The Loose
Change' www.loosechangeguide.com/LooseChangeGuide.html
37
Guardian, 'News of the World pays footballer 70,000 for libel', 2011,
ILLp:JJwww.guurdIun.co.ukJmedIuJgreensIudeJzo11JjunJ1qJnewsoILIeworId-medIuIuw
38
E Nickerson, 'From Books to the Web: A Comparative Analysis of Holocaust Denial in
the Internet Age', University of Connecticut Honors Scholars Theses
ILLp:JJdIgILuIcommons.uconn.eduJcgIJvIewconLenL.cgI?urLIcIe=11z&conLexL=srIonors
_LIeses
39
E Zuckerman, 'Listening to Global Voices', TEDGlobal 2010, July 2010,
www.Led.comJLuIksJeLIun_zuckermun.ILmI
40
E Zuckerman, 'The Partisan Internet and the Wider World', 24 May 2010,
www.eLIunzuckermun.comJbIogJzo1oJoJzqJLIe-purLIsun-InLerneL-und-LIe-wIder-worId
41
MA Baum and T Groeling, 'New Media and the Polarization of American Political
Discourse', Political Communication 25, no. 4, p 347 (2008)
42
T Byron, 'Safer Children in a Digital World: The Report of the Byron Review', Byron
Review: Children and New Technology (2008)
43
Futurelab (2010) Digital Literacy in Practice
44
Futurelab (2010) Digital Literacy in Practice, p 19
45
This definition draws on a useful distinction drawn between computer literacy and
information literacy by the Joint Information Systems Committee. They referred to computer
literacy as the ability to use certain applications and software; information literacy the ability to
develop good search strategies for finding quality information and evaluate it. The latter is
digital literacy, and it relates, ultimately to one's ability to exercise sound judgment.
46
For example, www.snopes.com. In a crowdsourcing effort, people can enter the
information they have heard online, and members of the Snopes community research the
claim. Of course, it is possible that this site contains disinformation too, but the site fully
publishes all the research material used to investigate each claim that people can check for
themselves: 'Checking controversial or extravagant against other sources, including
debunking websites, should become second nature as habitual as shredding your bills'
47
You can compare the different search returns of different engines from the same query
at ILLp:JJwww.LIumbsIoLs.comJProducLsJTIumbsIoLsmugesJRunkIng.uspx
48
OfCom, 'UK Children's Media Literacy', p 47
49
Dutton, Helsper and Gerber, 'The nternet in Britain', p 31
55

50
G Blank, 'Trust on the Internet now exceeds trust in other major institutions',
ILLp:JJmIcrosILes.oII.ox.uc.ukJoxIsJbIogJzo1oJLrusL-InLerneL-now-exceeds-LrusL-oLIer-mujor-
InsLILuLIons
51
W Dutton and A Shepherd, 'Trust in the Internet as an Experience Technology',
Information, Communication & Society 9, no 4, p 434 (2006)
52
Livingstone and Bober, 'Children Go Online' p 2.
53
Ibid
54
55
J Palfrey and U Gasser, Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital
Natives (Basic Books, 2009) p 161
56
Livingstone and Bober, 'Children Go Online' p 14
57
Dutton and Shepherd, 'Trust in the Internet as an Experience Technology', p 440
58
59
60
Futurelab (2010) Digital Literacy in Practice, p 9
61
www.neLskIIIs.uc.uk. See materials on plagiarism.
62
D Nicholas, 'Digital Information Consumers, with special reference to the Google
Generation', University College London CIBER Project,
ILLp:JJwww.ucI.uc.ukJInIosLudIesJreseurcIJcIberJDNInducLIon.pdI
63
Telegraph, Feb 11 2010, www.ucI.uc.ukJInIosLudIesJreseurcIJcIberJLeIegrupI.pdI.
64
See for instance, K Popper The Logic of Scientific Discovery (New York: Basic Books
1959) especially section 6.
65
For a study suggesting that humans tend to seek confirmation of hypotheses they hold,
see PC Watson, 'Reasoning' in B Foss (ed) New Horizons In Psychology (Harmondsworth:
Penguin, 1966)
66
In one study, four fictitious studies on capital punishment, each with serious flaws, were
given to subjects that felt strongly either for or against capital punishment. People were much
more likely to notice the flaws in the studies that contested their point of view, rather than the
studies that supported it. For this, and other experiments establishing this bias, see S
Sutherland, Irrationality (Pinter & Martin, 2007), particularly Chapter 11 p 104-112
67
M McPherson, L Smith-Lovin and JM Cook, 'Birds of a Feather: Homophily in Social
Networks', Annual Review of Sociology 27 p 415-444 (Volume publication date August 2001).
68
C Sustein, 'To become an extremist, hang around with people you agree with',
Spectator, July 2009, www.specLuLor.co.ukJessuysJuIIJ;1zq8JLo-become-un-exLremIsL-
Iung-uround-wILI-peopIe-you- ugree-wILI.LILmI
69
E Pariser, The Filter Bubble: What the Internet is Hiding from You (Penguin, 2011); see
also Pariser's 'TED Talk' at www.LIeIIILerbubbIe.comJLed-LuIk. See also Economist, 'nvisible
Sieve: Hidden, Especially for you', 2011, ILLp:JJwww.economIsL.comJnodeJ188qqq1o
70
C Boulton, 'Google Serendipitous Search Plans Helmed by Marissa Mayer', eWeek, 17
Oct 2010, www.eweek.comJcJuJSeurcI-EngInesJGoogIe-SerendIpILous-SeurcI-PIuns-
HeImed-by-MurIssu-Muyer-1;16
71
B Bosker, 'As Internet Use Grows, Is it Polarizing Political Views?', Huffington Post, 29
Mar 2011 www.IuIIIngLonposL.comJzo11JoJzqJInLerneL-poIurIzIng-poIILIcs_n_8qzz6.ILmI
72
C Sunstein, 'To become an extremist, hang around with people you agree with',
Spectator, July 2009, www.specLuLor.co.ukJessuysJuIIJ;1zq8JLo-become-un-exLremIsL-
Iung-uround-wILI-peopIe-you- ugree-wILI.LILmI
73
R Brown, Social Psychology: Second Edition p 203-26 (2003)
74
J Horrigan, K Garrett and P Resnick, 'The nternet and Democratic Debate', Pew
Internet (2004)
75
Bosker, 'As Internet Use Grows, Is it Polarizing Political Views?'
76
M Gentzkow and JM Shapiro, 'Ideological Segregation Online and Offline', University
Chicago Booth School of Business, (March 2011) p 1
ILLp:JJIucuILy.cIIcugobooLI.eduJmuLLIew.genLzkowJreseurcIJecIo_cIumbers.pdI
56

77
S Yardi and D Boyd, 'Dynamic Debates: An Analysis of Group Polarization Over Time',
Bulletin of Science Technology & Society 30 (2010) p 316
78
In the survey we referred to this as digital literacy, and not digital fluency
79
See ILLp:JJwww.e-IeurnIngIounduLIon.comJpress-reIeuses for their 19th February Press
Release, 'Digital Divide No Signs of Shrinking in UK Amongst Underprivileged'
80
Das, M., Ester, P & Kaczmirek, L (2011) Social and Behavioural Research and the Internet,
European Association of Methodology, p 15
81
See ILLp:JJwww.sLuLIsLIcs.gov.ukJsLuLbuseJProducL.usp?vInk=6;z accessed 28 June 2011
82
M, Das, P, Ester and L, Kaczmirek (2011) Social and Behavioural Research and the
Internet p 34
83
Ofcom, Social inclusion and communications: A review of the literature, November 2007,
ILLp:JJwww.communIcuLIonsconsumerpuneI.org.ukJdownIoudsJReseurcIJowncomeConsu
mers_ReseurcIJSocIuI%zoIncIusIon%zound%zocommunIcuLIonsJSocIuI%zoIncIusIon%zoun
d%zocommunIcuLIons.pdI
84
Bethlehem, J (2007) Reducing the bias of Web Survey based estimates, Discussion paper
07001
85
The population comes from the 'School Workforce Census' of a base of 158,004 teachers,
years 7-13
86
M, Das, P, Ester and L, Kaczmirek (2011) Social and Behavioural Research and the
Internet p 31
This project was supported by:
The internet is the greatest source of information for people living in the
UK today. But the amount of material available at the click of a mouse can
be both liberating and asphyxiating. Although there are more e-books,
trustworthy journalism, niche expertise and accurate facts at our fingertips
than ever before, there is an equal measure of mistakes, half-truths,
propaganda, misinformation and general nonsense. Knowing how to
discriminate between them is both difficult and extremely important.
Truth, Lies and the Internet examines the ability of young people in Britain
to critically evaluate information they consume online. The report reviews
current literature on the subject, and presents a new poll of over 500
teachers. It finds that the web is fundamental to pupils school lives but
many are not careful, discerning users of the internet. They are unable to
find the information they are looking for, or trust the first thing they see.
This makes them vulnerable to the pitfalls of ignorance, falsehoods, cons
and scams.
This pamphlet recommends that teaching young people critical thinking
and skepticism online must be at the heart of learning. Censorship of the
internet is neither necessary nor desirable; the task instead is to ensure
that young people can make careful, skeptical and savvy judgments about
the internet content they encounter. This would allow them to better
identify outright lies, scams, hoaxes, selective half-truths, and mistakes,
and better navigate the murkier waters of argument and opinion.
Jamie Bartlett is head of the Violence and Extremism programme at
Demos. Carl Miller is an associate of Demos.
978-1-906693-81-7

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