The Sift: Super Bowl ‘Tayvoodoo’ | ICE rumors
In this issue
Super Bowl ‘Tayvoodoo’ | ICE rumors | RumorGuard slides | Daily Do Now slides
 Daily Do Now slidesDon't miss this week's classroom-ready resource.  |
Top picks
Educators, here are the latest news literacy topics and tips on how to integrate them into your classroom.
| A network of AI-generated local newsletters has popped up across the U.S. |
1. AI-generated newsletters target ‘small town America’
Behind a network of hundreds of newsletters across 47 states is a single man using artificial intelligence technology to summarize local news pulled from existing news outlets. Good Daily newsletter sites don’t disclose AI usage and appear to have the same fabricated reader testimonials on multiple sites, but the sites’ founder said he’s helping local news outlets by highlighting their work. However, several local news editors strongly disagreed when interviewed by Nieman Lab [link warning: profanity]. They said the Good Daily network lacked transparency, relied on recycled reports and competed for advertising with outlets staffed by journalists
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Discuss: |
What clues indicated that the Good Daily newsletters were AI-generated? Are these newsletters helpful or harmful for local communities? How could newsrooms use AI technology ethically? Should news sources disclose AI usage? Why or why not?
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Idea: |
Use the “AI-generated news or not?” teaching slides with students to determine whether three examples of news stories are AI-generated.
★ NLP Resources:
Infographic “6 things to know about AI”
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2. Teens support AI safeguards, study finds
Teens are growing up in a complex information landscape and it’s not always clear what sources are trustworthy — or what might be AI-generated. Over a third of American teens say they’ve been misled by fake content online, a new Common Sense Media report found. And as AI technology advances, most teens (74%) support AI safeguards and transparency, including labels or watermarks for AI content.
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Note: |
NLP’s teen survey last year had similar findings around teens’ trust in AI, with about half of teens reporting little or no trust in the accuracy and fairness of AI chatbots.
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Discuss: |
What role should tech companies or the government play in regulating AI? How does AI technology impact trust in news or social media posts? Have AI tools changed the way you evaluate online information? Are these tools more harmful or helpful? Why?
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Idea: |
Use this AI quiz with students to test their basic knowledge of generative AI and help them practice recognizing characteristics of an AI-generated image.
- Another Idea: Use the “Reflect” slide from Week 14 of the Daily Do Now resource to have students consider their experiences with fake content online.
★ NLP Resources:
“Introduction to Algorithms” (Checkology virtual classroom).
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3. Super Bowl fuels ‘Tayvoodoo’ conspiracy theories
The Kansas City Chiefs are heading to the Super Bowl for the third year in a row, and their winning streak — plus Taylor Swift’s high-profile support — has set conspiracy theories aflame online. Some fans of Swift, who is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, believe “Tayvoodoo,” or a paranormal power of Swift’s that allows her to control events at will, may be involved in the team’s success. Another theory suggests that the NFL favors the Chiefs and conspired to bring the team to the Super Bowl. But one Wall Street Journal sports columnist points out the truth may possibly be “more mundane”: The Chiefs “may simply be quite good at playing football.”
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Discuss: |
What makes conspiracy theories appealing? Why do people fall for conspiracy theories about the NFL rigging the Super Bowl? What role does the perception of patterns play in these conspiracy theories? How can conspiracy theories be dangerous?
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Idea: |
Use the “Conspiratorial Thinking” slides from Week 14 of the Daily Do Now resource to further discuss this topic.
★ NLP Resources:
Poster: “Conspiratorial Thinking”
“Conspiratorial Thinking” (Checkology virtual classroom)
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★ Featured classroom resource:
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Photo altered to falsely show Trump supporter being detained by ICE
❌ NO: This is not a genuine photograph of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arresting a man in a “Latinos for Trump 2024” shirt.
✅ YES: This image has been digitally altered to add “Latinos for Trump 2024” on the man’s shirt and to change the acronym “HSI” (Homeland Security Investigations) to “ICE” on the shirts of the officers.
✅ YES: The original photograph was taken in June 2018 and shows agents with HSI, a branch of ICE, arresting a man in Salem, Ohio, as part of a large-scale immigration raid at a meatpacking plant.
★ NewsLit takeaway
When a social media post provokes a strong emotional response, it can be difficult to critically examine it. This is especially true when the content deals with a hot-button political issue, such as President Donald Trump's executive actions to start mass deportations. People can be quick to believe information that conforms to their preexisting beliefs. Here are some tips to see through this kind of confirmation bias:
Consider the source. Many online accounts are more concerned with generating clicks than they are in spreading factual information. If you aren’t familiar with an account, be cautious.
Consider the evidence. This image was presented online without any information about where or when it was taken. This is an indication that the content deserves scrutiny.
Use a reverse image search. Finding the source of an image is the best way to get additional context. In this case, a reverse image search unveils the original photograph.
No, ICE is not offering $750 to report undocumented immigrants
❌ NO: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not offering financial rewards for using its tip line to report people who are illegally in the country.
✅ YES: ICE does have an online tip form and phone number for making such reports.
★ NewsLit takeaway
Viral claims about controversial topics can easily gain traction on social media. Here are a few tips to detect and debunk this type of misinformation:
- Look for evidence: A claim about a government policy should be supported by official statements from sources like the relevant federal agency or the White House. Posts that do not link back to these sources should be viewed with skepticism.
- Consider the source: Are they a reputable news outlet, a journalist, a government official or another party that would have trustworthy information? Or are they an ordinary social media user who is repeating viral rumors?
- Controversial topics deserve more consideration: It’s important to slow down and try to verify information. Remember, many social media accounts are incentivized to post content that generates clicks.
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Be wary of health hacks that promise quick fixes — especially if they sound too good to be true. This Conversation piece offers tips to spot pseudoscience online, like checking whether a source has expertise on a given topic. |
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DeepSeek, a buzzy new AI chatbot, isn’t seeking deeply for accurate information. A NewsGuard audit of the Chinese AI tool found that it mostly provided inaccurate responses or nonanswers (83%) when prompted with news-related subjects. |
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New Jersey’s newspaper of record for 193 years, The Star-Ledger, ran its final print edition on Feb. 2. The New Jersey paper will continue publishing on its news site, but some worry about the loss of accountability reporting and a print archive of history. |
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The White House briefing room has invited influencers, podcasters and bloggers to apply for press credentials. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the change is part of adapting to “the new media landscape in 2025” and cited a Gallup poll showing Americans’ low trust in media. |
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From her kitchen table in Brooklyn, independent journalist Marisa Kabas landed a major scoop on the since-rescinded White House order to freeze federal grants — proving that big news stories don’t always come from major news organizations. This trend was even noted by veteran news anchor Dan Rather, who recently posted on Facebook, “Independent journalism is now the way forward.” |
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Although most financial advisors in the U.S. are required to hold a professional license, there is no regulation over financial influencers — or “fin-fluencers” — who publicly dispense advice. One woman told The New York Times that she lost $24,000 to a cryptocurrency lender after following financial advice from an influencer. |
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When a pharmacy student was threatened with expulsion from the University of Tennessee for social media posts the school deemed inappropriate, she sued them on First Amendment grounds and won a $250,000 settlement. |
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In Kenya, more young people are turning to influencers over traditional news media — a trend on display during last year’s deadly protests of a tax bill, when demonstrators regularly checked TikTok and Instagram for real-time updates. |
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The “screenagers” who started a Luddite Club at their high school in Brooklyn, New York, three years ago are now in college, where many are still using flip phones and working to spread their movement. (In case you missed it, check out last week’s Sift issue for more on smartphone addiction.) |
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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].