Navigating fake reviews online: Strategies for teaching students critical evaluation skills
Have you ever been tempted by a great product review, only to be disappointed when it didn’t live up to your expectations? You’re not alone.
The prevalence of fake reviews and misinformation online presents significant challenges for students and it is on the rise. Earlier this year, U.S. PIRG, a consumer research advisory group and researcher, found that 30% to 40% of online reviews are fabricated or not genuine. In response, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is taking action to address and combat fake online reviews.
These new laws to protect consumers are a step in the right direction, but educators can also take a proactive approach to empower students with the tools to cultivate critical thinking skills and identify fake reviews before making purchases.
The impact of fake reviews on students
Among Gen Z consumers, approximately 32% make online purchases at least once every day. This is a big difference from other generations, where about 25% of millennials, 15% of Generation X, and only 7% of baby boomers shop online with the same frequency. These statistics highlight the importance of empowering this generation to safely shop online.
“I order things on Amazon all the time, and I’m always looking at reviews before I purchase something. And the reviews that say ‘verified buyer’ really helps me when I’m trying to figure out if they’re real or fake,” Sarah, a student intern at The Social Institute shares.
Fake reviews can deceive students, who are particularly susceptible to the influence of online information. With limited purchasing experience and often tight budgets, students rely heavily on online reviews to make informed decisions. However, when confronted with fake reviews, they risk being deceived, leading to misguided purchases and wasted money and resources.
Understanding the FTC’s proposed rules
With the increasing number of fake reviews online, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently proposed new rules to tackle misinformation and shed light on the need for individuals, especially students, to be empowered in spotting and combating fake reviews.
Some of FTC’s proposed rules would prohibit:
- Selling or obtaining fake reviews or testimonials
- Suppressing honest negative reviews
- Prohibiting a company’s employees from writing testimonials or reviews without disclosing their relationship to the product or company
- Providing compensation or incentives for reviews
- Selling fake followers or views to others on social media
- Using fake or intimidating tactics to prevent or remove negative reviews
Educators can use these rules to initiate discussions and proactively empower students to navigate the world of online shopping, fake reviews, and misinformation.
Empowering students to spot fake reviews
Fake reviews not only deceive students but also perpetuate the cycle of misinformation, making it more important than ever to teach students how to identify fake reviews. By equipping them with the skills to discern between genuine and fabricated content, you can help your students protect themselves and others from falling prey to misleading information. Here are a few ways you can do this in your classroom:
- Teach critical evaluation skills
- Emphasize the importance of critically assessing online content, including reviews. Encourage your students to consider the credibility of the source, examine multiple perspectives, and verify information through reputable sources. Finding reputable sources isn’t always easy but making sure the information is coming from a credible organization or person, and making sure the information is not biased, is one solution. Check out the media bias chart for reputable sources students can trust!
- Recognize red flags
- Educate your students about common red flags that indicate a potential fake review. These may include an overwhelming number of positive ratings, generic language, a lack of specific details, or suspiciously enthusiastic endorsements. If multiple reviews simply state that a product is “amazing” or “the best,” without explaining why, it could be a red flag. Or if a review claims that a product is a life-changing miracle without mentioning any limitations, it should raise some skepticism. Consumer Reports created a list of ways to spot fake reviews online that can easily be shared with your students!
- Encourage fact-checking
- Instill fact-checking habits by teaching your students how to cross-reference information from multiple sources. Emphasize the importance of reliable sources and fact-checking organizations that can help verify the accuracy of claims made in reviews. Websites like Snopes and factcheck.org can be used to fact-check certain information found online.
- Promote responsible digital citizenship
- Educate your students about their role as responsible digital citizens. Encourage them to report suspicious content or fake reviews to relevant platforms, fostering a sense of responsibility and active participation in maintaining the integrity of online spaces. Most online platforms have a function where users can report any misleading, inappropriate, or false information directly to their server, enabling them to delete that content accordingly. Click here to access some more information on how to report fake reviews specifically on Amazon.
TSI’s take
By empowering students to critically evaluate online content, recognize red flags, fact-check information, and promote digital citizenship, we can foster a generation of informed individuals capable of navigating their social worlds, both online and offline, with confidence and integrity.
In our 8th-grade #WinAtSocial Find Your Influencers lesson, Recognizing how much we’re influenced by online ads and social media influencers, students explore how companies can deceive consumers online. The lesson highlights how companies pay influencers to promote products, raises awareness of what influences us to make purchases based on what we see in our feeds, and allows students to analyze online articles and determine whether or not they are sponsored by a company.
For more ideas on how to address the problem of misinformation in your classroom, and how to empower & encourage your students to consume meaningful & reliable content, contact us today!
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