Educafakes: an overview of educational misinformation in Spain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65598/rps.5946Keywords:
Misinformation, Mass Media, Social Media, Content analysis, Verification, educational policyAbstract
Disinformation or fake news has become a real threat to the functioning of institutions including education systems. However, research on fake news and education is scarce and still considered emerging. Most studies have addressed the importance of digital skills and media literacy. Our study, on the other hand, analyses fake news about education that have been verified by the most important platforms. For these, a content analysis of 138 fake news from 2018 to 2024 has been carried out. The most important results reveal that the highest number was concentrated in 2020 and that social networks (Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook) were the main channels of dissemination. The dominant themes revolve around certain territories (Catalonia and Madrid), followed by those dealing with subjects, educational stages, sex education, immigration and religion. The existence of educafakes and the configuration of a reactionary educational discourse based on the protection of traditional education, the dissemination of rumours that create spiritual, moral or religious alarm, and tend towards exclusivist nationalism, is proven. The importance of detecting this content and strengthening the critical skills of citizens in the face of an increasingly contaminated educational-communicative ecosystem is concluded.
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