#computer class

I feel like because The Youths™ have been using the internet passively for the entirety of their lives, they never really learned to think critically about the information that they come across online. I’m not sure they were taught to switch to a mindset of “oh this information I am hearing and/or reading should be even more stringently reviewed & checked for accuracy as there is no peer review on the internet”.

I remember classes in middle school where teachers would tell you to check any article, video or blog before we accept anything as fact. Are there sources? If so, have you reviewed those to see if they are presenting the information correctly? Is there a possible bias? Who might this bias benefit? And so on and so forth.

Anytime my niece has come to me to tell me something she heard about online and I ask her about it more, she can’t answer any questions. But she will share the information as if it’s fact without finding out any more information.

It just kind of reminds me of talking to my mom who will tell me something one of her friends forwarded her on WhatsApp and will come back to me and also tell it to me as if it’s true. When I look it up, it’s sometimes info that’s been misrepresented or purposefully misconstrued to fit a particular narrative.

I sometimes feel l like Teens and Boomers take information online and just believe it without a second thought. Boomers from Facebook and Zoomers from tiktok. Maybe I’m being to critical or stereotyping. Maybe it’s just my niece and a not a generational problem? Maybe I’m just a dick who asks too many questions about things other deem unimportant?

Idk.

Me: *chooses pretty pictures so that someone can compliment me and start a conversation with me*

Literally everyone: *forgets I exist*

Me: Guys, if someone doesn't acknowledge my existence right now, i will point out every single flaw in your slide and tell you to shut up and do your work.