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Educators, here are the latest news literacy topics and tips on how to integrate them into your classroom.

1. Gen Z journalist says her peers don’t know what her job is

Is a journalist someone who … journals? No, not quite, but that was what a 22-year-old race car driver guessed when chatting with Olivia Hicks, a sports reporter who covers Formula One racing. Hicks wrote in this column, “Gen Z’s misunderstanding of journalism is a nationwide — if not global — epidemic.” She claims her Generation Z peers don’t always know what a journalist is and are increasingly relying on influencers and celebrities to try to get news.

Hicks observed that “there are more people ‘reporting’ than ever before,” and it’s transforming sports journalism. As there’s more media access granted to podcasters and content creators, Hicks said sports publications are killing negative stories in fear of having press credentials revoked, and reporters are accepting gifts from sports teams — a violation of journalism ethics.

Discuss:

How are journalists and “news influencers” different? How are they similar? How do ethical guidelines work to increase credibility? If teams could control what information is shared about their organization and players, what kinds of stories would get published and what kinds would go unreported? If teams could punish reporters for doing stories they don’t like, what might some of the outcomes be? How might that impact reporting about player safety, accountability and controversies?

Idea:

Ask students to complete a weeklong news diary using these worksheets. At the end of the week, use the second page to have students evaluate their news source – and reflect on how that coverage might have been compromised by a lack of ethics and independence.

• Another Idea: Use the “Ad or not?” slide in Week 15 of the Daily Do Now resource.

Note:

Check out “Hard hits, hidden truths: How investigative journalism tackled the NFL’s concussion problem,” an NLP webinar presented during National News Literacy Week that features a discussion with investigative journalist Jeanne Marie Laskas about her reporting on concussions in the NFL.

★ NLP Resources:

Related:

• “2/3 of digital content creators do not check their facts before sharing, but want to learn how to do so” (UNESCO).

2. AI-generated e-books appear in libraries

“AI slop,” or low-quality, AI-generated content, is making its way into public library catalogs through e-book platforms like Hoopla and OverDrive. The trend raises concerns about patrons unwittingly accessing low-quality, unedited and inaccurate books, but librarians interviewed by 404 Media said they don’t think AI-generated books should be banned outright. However, they do call for labels on AI-generated books, since busy public librarians don't have the time to vet every book themselves.

Discuss:

Do you think most people assume that the nonfiction texts they access through their local library are credible? How can you distinguish between an AI-generated book and a human-written book? What are some potential drawbacks to nonfiction texts “authored” by AI? Should e-book platforms clearly label AI-generated texts? Why or why not?

★ NLP Resources:

Related:

• “Deepfake videos are getting shockingly good” (TechCrunch).
• “Google’s AI Super Bowl ad is wrong about cheese” (The Verge).

3. Why some marginalized people don’t read mainstream news

BBC News is the most widely used news source in the United Kingdom, but some marginalized Brits say they don’t trust it. In fact, some consider the BBC to be “an arm of the state” that is “talking at them, rather than to or for them,” according to a recent study on marginalized people’s views of the BBC. Most participants in the study were young adults in Wales of Asian or Arab descent. The study found that while the participants were disengaged with the BBC, they were still engaged with the news, turning to alternative sources like Al Jazeera or social media in an attempt to stay informed. This study was conducted by the BBC, which partnered with researchers, following longtime criticism of the BCC — including allegations of bias and a lack of newsroom diversity. When asked for suggestions on ways the BBC could rebuild trust, some participants suggested increasing the number of BBC journalists who live in the communities they cover.

Discuss:

The BBC operates under an agreement with the government but has editorial independence. However, its coverage sometimes feels government-directed by those in this study. Why do you think this is? What should the BBC do in response to learning that some of its audience feels this way? How does lack of newsroom diversity impact news coverage and marginalized groups? How could news organizations earn trust?

Idea:

Use the News Literacy Project's Newsroom to Classroom program to invite a journalist to speak to your students about covering diverse communities.

★ NLP Resources:

Related:

• “Unapologetically Inclusive: How PublicSource made community-centered journalism a newsroom-wide effort” (American Press Institute).

No, USAID doesn’t provide $8 million annually to fund Politico

❌ NO: The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) does not provide Politico with $8 million in grant money a year.

✅ YES: The viral screenshots show the amount of money various government agencies have paid Politico for subscriptions to its specialty publications.

✅ YES: USAID paid $44,000 over two years for two subscriptions to Politico’s E&E News, its energy and environment publication.

✅ YES: In February 2025, as the Trump administration started making cuts to USAID, other false claims spread.

★ NewsLit takeaway

False claims often go viral when they are accompanied by something that feels like evidence, such as a screenshot from a government website. The images showing that Politico has received more than $8 million from various government agencies over the last decade are authentic, for example, but they are being mischaracterized in sensational social media posts. Here are some tips for finding additional context:

Be patient: When a claim starts trending on social media, expect to see uninformed hot takes that attempt to politicize, exaggerate or mischaracterize the situation. Good reporting takes time and waiting for standards-based news outlets to check the facts is a good way to stay informed.

Know what you don’t know: If viral news spreads about an unfamiliar topic – perhaps the inner workings of USAID – it’s important to search for additional context. Look for news stories published prior to current events to get a balanced perspective.

Balance Sources: Make a regular habit of getting news from a variety of sources. Doing a web search and reading different perspectives on an issue is a good way to avoid being misled.

No, Trump administration didn’t alter U.S. flag on government websites

❌ NO: President Donald Trump did not alter the flags on government websites to reference the Confederacy.

✅ YES: Government websites have featured an American flag icon with only nine stars in their banners since at least 2021.

✅ YES: These icons use fewer than 50 stars because of their small size.

★ NewsLit takeaway

When social media content elicits an immediate and strong emotional reaction – such as claims that the American flag was unilaterally altered by a new president to represent the Confederacy – it is important to slow down to carefully examine the claim. Here are a few steps to check this viral rumor:

1. Consider the source: Is this claim being spread by reputable sources?
2. Look into the basic claim: Visit government websites to see if they truly feature a flag with nine stars. In this case, many do.
3. Evaluate the specifics: The viral rumor claims that this is a “new” change. Use a web archive tool to see if this flag was present in previous years.
4. Check credible sources: Do a web search to see if any standards-based news outlets have covered this claim. In this case, the fact-check website Lead Stories reviewed this claim and found this flag on government websites since at least 2021.

Thanks for reading!

Your weekly issue of The Sift is created by Susan Minichiello (@susanmini.bsky.social), Dan Evon (@danieljevon), Peter Adams (@peteradams.bsky.social), Hannah Covington (@hannahcov.bsky.social) and Pamela Brunskill (@PamelaBrunskill). It is edited by Mary Kane (@mk6325.bsky.social) and Lourdes Venard (@lourdesvenard.bsky.social).

You’ll find teachable moments from our previous issues in the archives. Send your suggestions and success stories to [email protected].

Check out NLP's Checkology virtual classroom, where students learn how to navigate today’s information landscape by developing news literacy skills.

Visit us at newslit.org, checkology.org and rumorguard.org.

The News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan education nonprofit founded in 2008, is building a national movement to create systemic change in American education to ensure all students are skilled in news literacy before they graduate high school, giving them the knowledge and ability to participate in civic society as well-informed, critical thinkers.

The News Literacy Project
5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 440, Washington, DC 20015

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