NYC Civic Organization Teaches Teen Voters About Online Political Misinformation

Amid the rise of political misinformation and disinformation online, civic groups are addressing media illiteracy among young individuals leading up to the upcoming presidential election in November. A Deloitte survey indicated that more than half of Gen Z teenagers rely on social media for news, and a recent poll revealed that 60% of 13- to 17-year-olds are inclined to believe online conspiracy theories, making them susceptible to misinformation.

Projects such as YVote are dedicated to empowering Gen Z with the critical skills to discern real news from fake news on the internet.

Established in New York City in 2017 due to concerns about low youth voter turnout in the 2016 election, YVote targets young individuals and is primarily led by high schoolers, particularly Mukilan Muthukumar, a senior at Hunter College High School. Since its inception, the organization has engaged with over 1,500 students from 70 schools.

YVote alumna Kenisha Mahajan emphasized the organization’s broader focus on engaging young voters beyond voting, highlighting the need for empowerment and access to resources to increase voter turnout.

YVote recently conducted a week-long Democracy Camp with sessions centered on media literacy, featuring engaging activities like icebreakers on current events and trivia games on media bias using platforms like Kahoot.

Peer leaders Christine Li and Eloise Gordon collaborated with RANTT Media co-founder Ahmed Baba to produce an episode on media literacy for The Roundtable: A Next Generation Politics Podcast, emphasizing the importance of media literacy for navigating misinformation.

The Brennan Center’s analysis revealed the lasting impact of Trump’s election-denial scheme on the current voting landscape, leading to increased threats towards poll workers and the implementation of restrictive voting laws across the nation.

As part of their initiatives, Li, Gordon, and other high schoolers explored methods to combat online misinformation, advocating the use of the SIFT method created by digital literacy expert Michael Caulfield.

To detect AI-generated images, the group promoted looking for discrepancies in details like hands, highlighting an incident involving a fake image of Trump’s arrest that circulated online due to these inconsistencies.

They also discussed the dangers of social media echo chambers, emphasizing the importance of seeking diverse perspectives and combating bias in online interactions.

Li raised concerns about the impact of Trump’s Truth Social app, suggesting it poses a significant risk of spreading misinformation compared to other platforms.

YVote undertakes various projects like training youth in canvassing for voter registration and competes in citywide campaigns for community initiatives like creating community gardens at public schools.

During their summer camp, NYC teens engage in activities to envision democracy, study American history, and develop proposals for addressing societal issues, earning Certificates of Activist Excellence and Civic Leadership for their participation.

YVote’s Change Makers Institute provides high school students with monthly sessions led by facilitators to enhance their knowledge on voting, advocacy, and media literacy.

The organization encourages youth to explore their passions, discusses pressing topics like mass incarceration and school segregation, and educates them on how voting can drive change in these areas.

Recently, YVote launched the Youth Civic Hub, a platform offering voting information, a civics glossary, and an interactive map to help NYC youth engage with the electoral process and connect with civic organizations.