Influencers, AI, and Credibility: Teach Students About the Information Ecosystem
February 3, 2026 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm EST
Join the News Literacy Project’s Hannah Covington for this National News Literacy Week edWebinar to explore teaching strategies and resources to help students distinguish between different kinds of content on social media.
Today’s information landscape is complex, interconnected and constantly evolving — like an ecosystem. From social media influencers to podcasters and pundits, much of this ecosystem is focused on discussing current issues and events. But not all content about news is equally credible — or, in the age of AI, authentic.
Join the News Literacy Project’s Hannah Covington for this National News Literacy Week edWebinar to explore teaching strategies and resources to help students distinguish between different kinds of content on social media. The session will demonstrate how to use the rich analogy of an ecosystem to help students understand today’s information landscape. Attendees will consider what makes an information ecosystem healthy and examine ways to encourage students to be mindful about the content they consume, share, create and act on.
Viewers will:
- Explore how standards-based journalism anchors and sustains much of our broader information ecosystem.
- Identify characteristics that make information credible.
- Apply journalism standards to evaluate other digital sources, including content from influencers.
This session features examples pulled from social media and provides actionable insights to help students recognize signs of credibility in any information source. This edWebinar is ideal for K-12 teachers, librarians, and school and district leaders.