If someone possesses “information literacy,” they can find, evaluate and effectively use sources of information. The term first applied to print materials, but as technology has developed, it has expanded to include web pages, photos and videos, social media and now artificial intelligence (AI).

It’s become easier and easier to spread mis- and disinformation. With social media algorithms favoring content that racks up likes, notoriety — not validity — is a goal of many content creators. Bogus AI-generated photos and videos are proliferating online.

Our students are especially vulnerable to being duped by fake content. Their lives are immersed in digital media. There’s more noise than ever to wade through, and it’s a challenge for them to discern if something is true. A Stanford University study showed that 82% of middle school students couldn’t distinguish real news from fake stories. Moreover, school librarians who explicitly teach information literacy to students are growing increasingly scarce across New York City public schools.

How can we help our students differentiate between reliable sources of information and those with ulterior motives?

Don’t ignore the problem. Students are encountering digital content whether you address it in class or not. Discuss what students find and evaluate the content based on specific criteria by using guides like the Evaluating Information Tutorial from Penn State.

Model and promote reliable outlets. Only use valid news sources in class. Help students seek reliable sources of information. Share a list of trustworthy sites, such as Common Sense Education’s collection.

Question sources. I use this analogy with my students: “What if a friend told you, ‘I just heard school is going to be closed tomorrow!’ What would your next question be?” They answer, “Where did you hear this?” or “Who told you?” I advise them to have the same inquiring minds regarding content they find online.

Check your emotions. Does the content make you angry, frightened or relieved, or does it confirm a suspicion? Does it seem too unbelievable to be true? Is there a clear bias? I advise students to double-check content that elicits strong reactions on sites like factcheck.org or politifact.com.

Avoid clickbait. Content whose only goal is to increase viewership is clickbait. Does the wording address “you” directly? Is there an element of shock or surprise to the story? Are there inappropriate sidebar links? Is the content designed primarily to sell something?

Recognize AI-generated content. For text, look for repetition, inconsistencies, or nonsensical and odd phrasing. For photos or video, check for blurry objects, odd cropping, unnatural touch-ups or objects floating in space. A telltale sign for narrated videos is speech that does not match mouth movements.

Reverse search for images. Many fake news sites repurpose images from other sources out of context. Right-click on an image and choose “Search with Google Lens” to quickly see original sources. This method can debunk AI-generated images, too.

Experts warn that as technology improves, it will become harder and harder to recognize misinformation. When seeing is no longer believing, our human brains — and the above strategies — are still the best defense we have against fake content.