In this Q&A, Gold discusses why critical thinking is more important than ever, why skepticism is a “superpower” for young people and why he thinks we must embrace our humanity in the age of AI.
News media trust
Do your teens distrust the news media? Here’s what your family needs to know.
Learn about a 2025 report by the News Literacy Project — “Biased,” “Boring,” and “Bad”: Unpacking perceptions of news media and journalism among U.S. teens — and find out what actions families can take to help teens develop news literacy skills.
Dig Deeper: Why would news agencies remove a manipulated photo?
Students explore ethics in photojournalism in this classroom-ready activity, a supplement to The Sift newsletter.
Dig Deeper: What are “pink slime” sites and how are they different from credible local news sources?
Students distinguish between deceptive and trustworthy local news in this classroom-ready activity, a supplement to The Sift newsletter.
Dig Deeper: What is the difference between journalists and content creators?
Students compare the work of traditional journalists and content creators in this classroom-ready activity, a supplement to The Sift newsletter.
Newsroom to Classroom
Dig Deeper: How have Americans’ news habits changed?
Explore trends in how people in the U.S. consume and trust news in this classroom-ready activity, a supplement to The Sift newsletter.
Democracy’s Watchdog (lesson plan)
In this lesson, students explore how investigative journalism has historically upheld democracy and the First Amendment.
Dig Deeper: Why are corrections a sign of credibility?
Students explore why acknowledging errors builds trust in this classroom-ready activity, a supplement to The Sift newsletter.
Dig Deeper: What effect does low trust in the press have on democracy?
Students examine how public trust in media affects civic life in this classroom-ready activity, a supplement to The Sift newsletter.