In a significant development in education, the UK government has announced that identifying fake news will be integrated into school curricula as part of a new initiative to combat misinformation. On August 11, the government revealed that schools in England will soon be able to include lessons on spotting extremists and debunking “harmful conspiracy theories” in updates to the national curriculum. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson outlined plans for a curriculum review aimed at enhancing critical thinking across various subjects for both primary and secondary students. 

Recent incidents, including the Southport knife attack and unrest in over twelve English towns and cities, have been linked to online misinformation and far-right provocateurs. The attack, reportedly carried out by 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, resulted in the deaths of three children. Although authorities have not determined a motive, they have clarified that the incident is not classified as terrorism. False online speculation incorrectly labelled Rudakubana as a Muslim immigrant. 

In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Phillipson stressed the urgent need to equip young people with the skills to critically evaluate online content. “Our curriculum review aims to integrate essential skills into lessons to help students navigate misinformation, fake news, and harmful conspiracy theories that proliferate on social media,” she stated. 

Under the proposed changes, students will analyze newspaper articles in English classes to identify misleading clickbait, and computer classes will focus on interpreting statistics within context. However, the review’s conclusions and recommendations will not be released until next year, meaning reforms are expected to take effect in the September 2025 academic year. These educational measures will be complemented by stricter regulations for social media platforms and online content. 

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